This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/pawn But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. Besides, this manhwa is categorized as HARDCORE: 🔞 Here is the link, if you are interested in more analyses about this manhwa and others https://bebebisous33analyses.com/2021/06/06/table-of-contents-of-analyzed-mentioned-manhwas/
As you can imagine, in this essay, I’ll focus on Jeon Hee-Seong corresponding perfectly to the portrait of “femme fatale”. But what does it mean? The idiom comes from French and means “lethal/deadly woman”. In addition, if the manhwaphiles look up, this is what they will find:
Femme fatale: a woman who is very attractive in a mysterious way, usually leading men into danger or causing their destruction quoted from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/femme-fatale
To sum up, a femme fatale is a sexually attractive woman who uses her female body as a weapon to defeat her male opponents exposing them to danger and their own destruction. However, the characters are not realizing their own situation, and when they become aware of her true nature, it is already too late for them.
Their fate is already sealed: death. Striking is that a synonym for femme fatale is siren. Why? It is related to the famous Greek story “Odysseus” from Homer, where the sirens tried to lure the protagonist Ulysses and his sailors to their death with their beautiful singing. With their voice, they would incite the sailors to jump into the sea so that the latter would drown.
- Jeon Hee-Seong: a new version of the siren from Odysseus
And this leads me to the following observation. A femme fatale is not just seducing men with her sex appeal, but also with her voice and words. In “The Pawn’s revenge” Jeon Hee-Seong is even presented as a siren, when she asks her lover to kill for her sake.
(chapter 6) Note how she manipulates him. First, she diminishes her own position. 
(chapter 6) She is just a pawn, mistreated by men. Besides, they are living in a dog-eat-dog world, hence it is necessary to become ruthless, if they want to survive. 
(chapter 6) As she is powerless, she needs his help. Alone, she won’t be able to change her position. 
And with her description, she achieves to move the protagonist’s heart. He is willing to dirty his hands, if it signifies that he will be able to remain by her side. 
With her request, she is implying that he will find happiness by her side. Nonetheless, the innocent man is still hesitating, thereby he would like a confirmation from her. They will be together, if he follows her suggestion. Yet, she doesn’t answer to his question directly. 
As the manhwaphiles can detect, a femme fatale is strongly connected to the fake vow of pleasure and enjoyment.
“The femme fatale entices, promises and eludes. […] [She] fascinates with her beauty and the inherent promise of happiness […]. At the same time, however, she is perceived as threatening. The danger emanates from the sexuality embodied in her and the involvement in a story full of intrigue.” quoted from Carola Hilmes, Die Femme fatale. Ein Weiblichkeitstypus in der nachromantischen Literatur. Stuttgart 1990“. (translated by me)
In my eyes, the former prostitute’s argumentation resembles to the beautiful singing of the sirens. And when the femme fatale grabs his hand (chapter 6), it was, as if a siren was grabbing the innocent man’s hand in order to drag him into the sea and as such into the darkness. 
(chapter 6) Moreover, observe the position of her legs, it definitely reminds us of a siren, as her legs resemble to a fishtail. Moreover, if I include the following panel
, this perception gets reinforced. Her hair on the bed makes me think of hair under water. Sure, in this panel, she appears in Do Seong-Rok’s nightmare. However, we have to imagine that this situation truly happened. The main lead is realizing in his sleep that he has been tempted and is now in danger. This scene represents a turning point in Do Seong-Rok’s life
, as he is slowly recognizing that his lover won’t keep her vow: she would save him, if he needed assistance. He wanted her to become his safety net and comfort. 
(chapter 16) And now, if you connect this promise with the siren’s temptation, you’ll realize what the abandonment signifies in truth: he will drown and die. He will lose his life and soul.
2. A siren without eyes
But let’s return our attention to the picture from chapter 6. Her mysterious appearance is reinforced with the absence of her eyes. In this picture, the protagonist got scared, as he was sensing that the beautiful woman was not like she appeared to be. For me, the black background and the absence of her eyes makes her look like a seductive monster. Simultaneously, it also reveals her fakeness, for the gaze is perceived as the mirror of the soul. Therefore, the panel illustrates that the character without eyes has in reality her own agenda. On the other hand, her words represent a warning, because they are actually reflecting reality. Notice the contrast between the expression “look at the state” and the absence of Jeon Hee-Seong’s eyes. Since there exists no gaze, it means that the main lead can’t see his own reflection in her eyes. With her words, he is reminded that he should use his own eyes in order to recognize his true state and feelings. He shouldn’t rely on the reflection of her gaze. And now, you understand why the killer got scared. For the first time, he was seeing his true self: he was a murderer due to her manipulations. Yet, in chapter 6, he is still in denial after the nightmare. That’s the reason why he rejects Lee Je-Oh’s offer to be his ally. 
(chapter 6)
This shows that the former prostitute could seduce the young and naïve man with her deceptive gaze, like the readers could witness it in this picture. She gave him the impression that she was admiring him, she would love him. Hence EVY drew such an image: while making love to her, the main lead could see a very positive image about himself. He imagined that he was seeing affection in her gaze and facial expressions (blushing), while in truth it was just a sexual reaction. Consequently, I deduce that a femme fatale is using her eyes to manipulate her preys and victims. The men are projecting their own emotions and desires onto the femme fatale. Moreover, this projection is often linked to fear. The male characters fear that they might lose control of the situation. That’s why officer Ahn gets nervous and doubts her relationship with Do Seong-Rok. 
(chapter 11) They are puppets of the femme fatale. This angst is truly palpable in chapter 6. Do Seong-Rok got scared, because before he had met detectives looking for Lee Je-Oh, Ma Jong-Seok and Choi Yeong-Gil and couldn’t get in touch with his lover
. He felt totally vulnerable. He needed her presence in order to stay calm and find a solution to his problem: the existence of a witness.
3. Victim or perpetrator?
After reading the first two parts of this analysis, the readers have the impression that this is just a rhetorical question, because the answer seems evident. A femme fatale is a perpetrator. However, in truth this is far more complex. Let me give you an example. The first famous femme fatale is Eva. Why? It is, because after listening to the snake, Eva encouraged Adam to eat the apple from the Tree of knowledge. In other words, she “seduced” him to commit a sin. Since the original sin is perceived as a metaphor for sexuality, the woman will lure men thanks to her beautiful body. This explicates why during the Middle-Age, Church looked down on women, as they were judged as the descendant of Eva. In the clergy’s eyes, they were responsible for the eviction of paradise. That’s the reason why from 1450 to 1750, many women were condemned as witches. All the different Churches (Protestant, Catholic, eg.) saw in the female body a source of witchcraft. Let’s not forget that women can give birth and procreation was very mysterious to people back then. That’s why this is no coincidence that the former prostitute calls herself a witch. 
(chapter 16) Yet, if you pay attention to Eva’s role, she was herself a victim, for she listened to the snake and got tempted to eat the fruit.
3. 1. Jeon Hee-Seong: the snake or Eva?
In the manhwa, this character is compared to a snake, a symbol for evil and sin. 
This comparison seems to be correct due to her behavior in chapter 6 and 16. Striking is that in this image, the femme fatale seems to be associated to the Tree of knowledge, for she is hidden by the plant. It gives the feeling, both have somehow connected, as if she came from the plant. Here, she is explaining him about the game, a metaphor for the real world. They are living in a ruthless world, where the weak ones will get killed (social Darwinism). Since she is teaching him her knowledge, she appears to be the snake. On the other hand, if the manhwaphiles remember the detective’s words, they will realize that Jeon Hee-Seong became a prostitute, because she was forced. 
(chapter 9) Imagine, she had to sell her body, yet she would never be able to escape from this “chicken farm”, for the debts would always keep increasing. Koo Jeong-Mo calls her a snake, but he is a hypocrite. He might have not killed her, nevertheless he did something terrible to her. 
(chapter 11) He justifies his crime by saying that he just attempted to run his business. Just like his foe, he is diminishing his sin. On the other hand, his words 
truly outline his immorality and wrongdoing. If it was not murder, then what did he do to her? He calls her a snake, because she betrayed him. However, he was the one who backstabbed her first. There’s no doubt that she was forced to marry Choi Yeong-Gil, a violent man. 
(chapter 9) The former pimp suspects her for being the mastermind behind the murders. Nevertheless, the manhwalovers should keep in mind that she is his competitor too. She is now running her own business. If she was caught and accused, he would get rid of his rival. Since he backstabbed her in the past, it truly exposes that his comparison is only partially correct. As the former prostitute is not just a perpetrator, but also a victim, I come to the conclusion that the female character resembles more to Eva than to the snake.
4. A comparison of femmes fatales
I came to this aspect after looking for other “femmes fatales”. So far, I compared the figure from The Pawn’s revenge with persons from the bible and Odysseus. Both stories are very old. This is the list of “femmes fatales” I selected, though I could mention more:
- Carmen from Prosper Mérimée (19th Century)
- Nana from Emile Zola (End of 19th Century)
- Madame de Merteuil from “Dangerous liaisons” written by Choderlos de Laclos (18th Century)
- Lulu from Frank Wedekind (the theater plays are called: Earth Spirit and Pandora’s box) – End of 19th/Begin of 20th Century
- Brigid O’Shaughnessy from The Maltese Falcone written by Dashiell Hammett (20th Century)
4. 1. Vulnerability and Dependency
What do have these women in common? They are all weak and powerless. Vulnerability doesn’t necessarily mean that they are all poor. Madame de Merteuil belongs to old aristocracy and is as such wealthy. Brigid O’ Shaughnessy isn’t truly poor either. However, they are all living in a world ruled by hypocrite and violent men. I would even say that these female figures are all trapped. They have either no rights or are still caught in the past. Madame de Merteuil asks Vicomte de Valmont, her confident, to get revenge on her behalf. She wants to humiliate an ex-lover who has decided to marry someone who stands in opposition to Madame de Merteuil’s personality: chaste and innocent. The Marquise is well aware that her former lover is actually following social norms. Women shouldn’t feel sexual pleasure and should be submissive to their spouse. As you can see, the female noble hates her condition. As a woman, she is not able to live freely, as she has to rely on men. Furthermore, she has to hide her true self from others in order to maintain her good reputation. A woman’s reputation was vital back then. That’s why she seduces men in the end. With her sex appeal, she feels powerful and independent. At the same time, through her unusual behavior, she is able to fascinate men. However, none of her ex-lovers desire to break taboo, except her friend Vicomte de Valmont, for her sex partners will always choose social norms (faithful wife etc.)
And if you compare her to Jeon Hee-Seong, you’ll notice the similarities. The latter wants to break free too. She would like to become truly independent, that’s why she is just using Do Seong-Rok, though she is well aware of his innocent and genuine side. She behaves exactly like Brigid. Both are women trying to make her way through a world run by ruthless, vicious men. So maybe manipulating is the only trick up their sleeve that they can use to survive this masculine, aggressive society. The only huge difference is that the Korean woman is using truth to manipulate her lover. 
(chapter 16) 
Note that she announces to the future criminal that she will be ruthless, selfish and she might even betray him in order to achieve her goal. To sum up, she is more paltering than lying by commission.
Then by comparing these femmes fatales, I recognized another pattern. Carmen, Nana and Lulu are powerless, as they belong to the lowest social class. Nana and Lulu are even prostitutes. Nana was somehow neglected and abandoned by her parents. She even ended up becoming a teenager mother. The famous French novelist wanted to outline through his main character that heredity and social circumstances would predestine her to become a femme fatale. She learnt through harsh experiences that sex is the power of the poor and weak. Once she discovered that she could use sensuality and erotic in order to get admiration and money, she internalized this rule. Nana was not truly calculative, as she kept making debts, while driving men to their death or ruin. She could no longer change her way of life. And Lulu had also a similar fate. The only huge difference is that she got married thanks to her backer. Lulu was married off to two men in turn by Dr. Schön, her mentor and lover. Both husbands tried to mold her in their image, and due to Lulu’s affairs, they both died. Lulu shot Dr. Schön and lived in Paris and London with his son Alwa, a writer. She began to sell her body again and ended up falling victim to the serial killer Jack the ripper. Note that the marriage doesn’t offer any liberty and protection to Lulu. Her husbands tried to form her. They projected their own desires and expectations onto her. This was the same case for Madame de Merteuil and Carmen. All the men in these stories expect from the femme fatale to be faithful, caring, genuine and loyal, while at the same time, they try to maintain their reputation intact. Schön was Lulu’s lover, yet he tried to marry a honorable daughter. As you can see, he felt that Lulu was not proper enough to become his wife.
This projection of sexual desires is quite recurrent. Therefore it is not surprising that officer Ahn questions her relationship to the killer. (chapter 11) He would like her to be faithful. There’s no ambiguity that he considers himself as her real partner. Yet, I don’t think that she is with him, because she is in love with him. She is treating him as her ally and support, as long as he helps her to get powerful and rich. Let’s not forget that he is trying to become a politician. I had already perceived the Korean prostitute as someone who was trying to climb the social ladder. For her, freedom means being powerful and wealthy. But she wants to be independent. And this interpretation was confirmed by the author herself. She told me that Jeon Hee-Seong desired to become a king!
Furthermore, there exists another parallel with Lulu. Jeon Hee-Seong was also imprisoned in her marriage. Not only she was forced to marry her violent husband, but also she couldn’t escape from this abusive relationship. Lulu kills herself her second husband Schön, while the latter tried to pressure her to commit suicide. Brigid also got rid of her “enemies”. Only death can liberate them. And this leads me to the following statement: their body might be used as a weapon, but not all of these femmes fatales are willing and capable to dirty their own hands. The Eva from “The Pawn’s revenge” prefers to delegate this to her lover. There’s a reason for that: it is more difficult to prove her culpability. Furthermore, she won’t feel remorse, as she was not directly involved.
4.2. The reason behind the existence of femmes fatales
The femme fatale is often connected to emancipation of women. The works from the 18th and 19th Century expose the conflict between sex drive and social constraints. At the same time, all the stories outline the hypocrisy of society and its patriarchalism. Men are allowed to have affairs, but for women it is out of question. I doubt that officer Ahn is single and intents to marry the former prostitute. They meet at a hotel, which represents a clue that they have more a sexual relationship than just a partnership. However, the problem is that all these women have learned that they need to act like men in order to survive: ruthless, selfish and immoral. None of them are able to recognize true love due to their sexual experiences. Consequently, I think that even if they are manipulative, these women shouldn’t be judged as entirely calculative. They are still led by their impulses. Therefore Nana keeps making debts, Lulu can’t stop having affairs and Madame de Merteuil ruins her only ally and accomplice due to her jealousy.
And now you comprehend why the Korean femme fatale used Do Seong-Rok. His innocence, his selflessness and empathy 
made him the perfect tool for her goal. At the same time, she is overlooking the male prostitute Lee Je-Oh. Since none of her targets has ever resisted her, she can’t imagine that Do Seong-Rok will distance himself from her.
4. 3. Their fate
And now, it is time to conclude this essay. The final common point of these femmes fatales is that they are all doomed to fail. This is particularly perceptible in the theater plays from Wedekind, the spectators can witness the rise and downfall of the protagonist. And if you compare their fate, you’ll notice that they all end in tragedy:
- Carmen and Lulua get killed
- Nana and Madame Merteuil become ill and lose their beauty. Nana even dies at the end. Madame de Merteuil is forced to go into exile.
- Brigid O’Shaughnessy is delivered to the police.
Since Ma Jong-Seok told Lee Je-Oh, he would eventually get some STD, it is possible that the femme fatale could face such an adversity. Moreover, the detective Kang Hyeon-Woo is already suspecting her and the latter is not corrupt, it is possible that she gets arrested, for officer Ahn was not able to protect her or even abandoned her. The final possibility is that she gets murdered, as she represents a witness and accomplice of Do Seong-Rok’s crimes. While examining her, I recognized another pattern: her scenes contrasts to Lee Je-Oh’s. In chapter 6, the manhwaphiles discover how she persuaded the red-haired man to dirty his hand, and in the same episode the male prostitute has a similar behavior. He is attempting to seduce Do Seong-Rok with his words and body. 
He even suggests to become his ally. And this observation truly reinforces my former statement: Jeon Hee-Seong and Lee Je-Oh will become rivals. One thing is sure: because the former prostitute is a femme fatale, she won’t get what she truly wants.
Feel free to comment. If you have any suggestion for topics or manhwas, feel free to ask. If you enjoyed reading it, retweet it or push the button like. My instagram-tumblr-twitter account is: @bebebisous33. Thanks for reading and for the support, particularly, I would like to thank all the new followers and people recommending my blog.
(chapter 55) He doesn’t want to be recognized, but more importantly he is determined to hide his true feelings from Nam Dong-Gyun, for he believes that he has no chance to be his lover again. Moreover, during the Corona pandemic, people are requested to wear a mask in order to stop the contamination.
If people knew that he was a psychopath, he would get isolated. His parents are already very distant with him, for they view him as a monster. Due this experience 
(he killed a dog and his mother caught him), he got aware that he was not allowed to act on his urges. For him, the mask is a necessity, as he is living in society. He doesn’t want to end up in jail. But is it the same for Nameless from Painter Of The Night? 
(chapter 54) He is switching his identity to become a killer. In this panel, the manhwaphiles see the transformation of the figure, as his face is already half-covered. He is no longer a joker, but not the ruthless murderer yet. However, when he kills the servant, he has the cover on.
(chapter 54) By putting a mask, he is protecting himself too, for he is acting as someone else, therefore his heart can’t be wounded. 
In this case, it is more a desire, though in truth it is a combination of both. The “butcher” has to hide his true identity. So when he wears his mask in chapter 44, he is doing his job. He won’t be recognized, but also he won’t feel remorse. He has been paid for that and the mask is helping him not to get emotionally invested. On the other hand when Jihwa met him in chapter 51, the manhwalovers could perceive the low-born’s true personality which coincides with the absence of the mask.
In that episode, he was literally naked in front of the noble, which explicates why he showed concern and care for his client. He let the noble express his worries. Let’s not forget that the jester is a person with a pure heart, when he is true to himself. Hence I come to the conclusion that the mask serves as a protection for the criminal’s mind and heart. And now, you comprehend why Nameless didn’t feel remorse for hurting the painter. According to me, in this scene, it was Kim who was scaring the painter.
(chapter 66) This is important, because the mask had two purposes here: to hide the identity of the perpetrator, but also to slip into a role, No-Name’s, the assassin. The main lead’s face was covered and turned around. At no moment, the “butcher” could see the victim’s gaze and facial expressions. The mask helped him to be ruthless, while he threatened Baek Na-Kuym. He might feel pity, but that was it.
(chapter 66) In that scene, the manhwaphiles thought that they were seeing Mumyeong, hence they imagined that Jihwa’s safety meant more than the artist’s life and possible scars. But if you take my theory seriously, this was Kim, then the words from the butler had a different meaning. He was hiding his action behind the nobles. Only after paying attention to the mask, I realized the existence of two masks. 
(Chapter 61) 
(chapter 61) Smiling mask versus threatening mask. The presence of two masks explicates why No-Name had the impression that after the painter’s return nothing bad had really happened. He was not aware of the butler‘s wrongdoings. Simultaneously, since the artist had not been killed, No-Name imagined that he had done nothing wrong. 
(Chapter 61) Hence the existence of the Joker’s mask outlines the criminal’s duality. He can be a ruthless killer, yet he can be gentle and caring too. At the same time, it implies the presence of a biased view. 
(chapter 73), the moment he is deprived of his powers. It was, as if he became a human. This is particularly perceptible, when he accepts the judgement of Maat and says this. 
Striking is that in this panel, the mask doesn’t appear as a source of advantage, rather as a hindrance. He couldn’t see and hear the consequences of his crimes due to the mask. He was blind and deaf. By removing his mask, he becomes human and can face reality: he is facing his sins and the suffering of his victims, their wounded soul. 
[chapter 35], his son, his title
[chapter 35], his power over the desert
[chapter 35]), he lost his identity. Osiris made sure to imprison his brother, because the former was lusting after him and had the impression that the latter would always escape his control. 
(chapter 35). At the end, he raped him in order to claim him. The latter got literally destroyed, hence he hid his pain behind the mask and chose to hurt others.
(chapter 37) In other words, the loss of identity was the reason why Seth decided to hide himself under the mask. Who was he in reality? The god was so tormented by his tragic past, Osiris had hurt him with his actions and words. He made sure that his brother would doubt himself. Hence the mask became the only reason to keep living. This item helped him to hide his wounds, but also not to lose himself completely. Hence I conclude that the “evil god” wasn’t just blinded by his heartache, but also by his mask, for the latter hindered him to see the real impact of his terrible actions. 
(chapter 37) 
(chapter 73), his son makes the opposite experience. He transforms himself into a god, Anubis, hence he gets a mask. 
(chapter 73) However, this signifies that he won’t see his wrongdoings too, he will be oblivious to the pain he is causing to others. This time, his blindness will be caused by his resent. While in the past, Anubis was a sensitive and gentle person, but no real god due to Seth’s curse, in chapter 73 he becomes Osiris’ true son, an evil god. Why do I judge him like that? It’s related to Osiris’ words. The latter is encouraging his son to feel hatred for the one responsible for his curse, Seth. Moreover, he asked his son to forget his past signifying that he should cut ties with his previous family. Therefore I believe that in the future, Anubis will fight against Seth and even Horus. Nevertheless, the wounded Anubis doesn’t realize that he has been manipulated by Osiris. The latter used his vulnerability and fear to approach him and appear as his savior. 
(chapter 73) Besides, Osiris was in fact accountable for his injury 
(chapter 37) In other words, the god of the afterlife used a disguise, though his brother had the impression that Osiris was real. Yet, one might argue that in that scene, Osiris was not wearing a mask. However, since he took possession of Anubis’ body, we can clearly see the presence of a cover. Let’s not forget that this terrible god is not allowed to leave the Underworld, hence he needs a subterfuge to enter the world of the living. That’s why I perceive it as a disguise. While the Egyptian god used Anubis as his vessel, Kwon Sungha from Dine With A Vampire took a new identity: he became Sooin’s bodyguard. 
As you can see, in both cases magic provided the villains a new occasion to deceive their target. And this shows that a mask can eventually cover a whole body, when it is to create a new “identity”. 
, just like Ra or Hathor. Yet, note that they are all women. Secondly, if you pay attention to their appearances, you’ll detect the presence of a hair dress and make up, especially around the eyes. This is no coincidence in my opinion. These accessories should be perceived as a “mask”. The make-up and hair dress are a form of disguise. This becomes really obvious in the manhwa “True beauty” from Yaongyi, where the heroine Jugyeong Lim hides her insecurities and true self behind a make-up. This is the real and natural protagonist 
(chapter 7), while we have here the disguised heroine
(chapter 0). This goes to the point that her boyfriend Sujeon Han has no idea how she really looks like. As a conclusion, the make-up and hair dress should be judged as a mask too. That’s why in traditional Chinese theater, the actors have painted faces. It was, as if they were wearing a mask.
(Doctor Frost, chapter 2) That’s the reason why the author Black Apricot didn’t drew a mouth, when she presented Song Ji-Sung here.
(chapter 9). She wanted her readers and the main lead to realize the character’s true personality. The latter was upset, because Kwon Soo-Young was keeping his distance from him and it looked like, he had found a new protector/boyfriend. When the protagonist Kwon Soo-Young had met Song Ji-Sung for the first time, he had only paid attention to his smile. Therefore he had misjudged his personality. And now, if you contrast the previous panel with the following one
(chapter 16), you’ll notice an important detail: The eyes are closed, when the character is smiling. In this situation, the figure was actually hiding his true thoughts, this explains why the main lead couldn’t correct his false impression about his future lover. He had no idea about his true nature, as the latter keeping concealing his true intentions, he was faking his emotions with his facial expressions. This confirms my interpretation: the face can also be a mask. For me, this character is like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this picture, Kwon Soo-Young got scared, when he saw this gaze and refused his lover’s advances. 
He is brutal, selfish and very manipulative. And now, you understand why in ENNEAD we had two different kind of masks: Seth and Horus are wearing real masks, while Osiris and Isis use their own face and make-up to conceal their true personality. 
(chapter 7) Sure, the color refers to his death, a decayed body, nonetheless the readers should judge the painting as a cover. Since he is using a whole body to disguise himself, this signifies that he is hiding his true personality and thoughts more than Isis or Ra. That’s why it is not surprising that this god is particularly scheming and deceptive. 
(chapter 10) The mask is a combination of shadow and absence of eyes. Here, Ahn Jiwon was remembering his first love and boyfriend, who faked affection and care for him. As a conclusion, the eyes symbolize honesty and naturality and its absence the presence of a mask. 
and the internist Kwon Sungha
. While examining their characters, I made a connection between the glasses and their personality. I defined the function of the glasses as a mask, because both almost act the same, as vicious hypocrites. They hide behind their glasses and their fake smiles so that people misjudge them. And remember doctor Frost’s advice: 
Observe that the smile is less pronounced, giving the impression that it is vanishing. Simultaneously, the eyes are shown oozing a rather cold and heartless side. In the scene at the library (chapter 40), he’s finally able to perceive his own reflection in the scholar’s gaze, since the smile has totally disappeared. The gaze exudes coldness, despise and filth.
Combined with the harsh words “you were born to be a prostitute”, the painter’s identity and personality are literally destroyed. The scholar has reduced Baek Na-Kyum to a prostitute, the lowest rank among the commoner. They have no rights and no real identity as they are forced to do what their clients want. 
(chapter 41) Hence it is not surprising that the protagonist remembers the cold gaze. His eyes were the other reason why Baek Na-Kyum’s heart was so wounded. He could sense despise and rejection. In other words, the scholar had used two weapons to hurt the main character: the gaze and the words. This connection between the smile and the eyes is visible in Dine With A Vampire too.
As soon as the smile vanishes, the eyes become visible unveiling their true personality. That’s why it is not surprising that Kwon Sungha has the same behavior towards the main lead Joo Sooin. The former has also destroyed the protagonist and reduced him to a puppet. The villains keeps calling him a pervert. He was even worse than Jung In-Hun in the sense that he kept abusing him mentally and physically after the coercive persuasion. Both are hypocrites hiding behind their glasses and their gaze. Therefore they are portrayed as cruel and mean hypocrites. The other common denominator is their hatred and rejection for homosexuality. Kwon Sungha seems to be even worse than the scholar, as he is in reality a repressed homosexual. He has sex with Joo Sooin, but resents him because he sees in him the reason for his “perverted” sexuality. He rejects sodomy because of the Church and his mother. Both reject this sexual orientation. I could mention Carter Nathan from The Blood of Madam Giselle 
(the fake and the real 
(chapter 13) or Jung from Unintentional Love Story 
as well as selfish and ruthless hypocrites. In other words, the next time you read a manhwa, be careful with characters wearing glasses, they might be dangerous and their smile might be fake. 
(chapter 16) The main lead explains that he chose to wear glasses, because he desired to avoid rejection and fear. He had noticed that the absence of facial expressions (smile) and his cold gaze would be misjudged by people. Here, Matthew used the glasses as protection. And this illustration reinforces my interpretation: glasses in manhwas have a huge importance in the end, they should be considered as masks too. 
The latter is the only one who can control him. 
(chapter 1) This is his second identity: BJ Alex. On the one hand, he desires to remain anonymous so that no one can recognize him in real life, on the other hand this signifies that he is living a double life. He would like to protect his privacy, but also his secret life as homosexual. That’s why he said this, when his relationship with Nam Dong-Gyun was revealed: 
As you can observe, a name and as such notoriety can also serve as a mask. The president of the council was admired by his peers, he was so perfect that some students even wondered, if he was human.
and the president is not recognizing it. But why is reputation a mask? It is, because people often judge others on hearsay and first impressions. The social medias are the perfect example for superficial and quick judgement. But we have to question ourselves about Ahn Jiwon’s initial motivations to hide behind a good notoriety. 
In the beginning of the story, he doesn’t even know the other protagonist very well, yet he is willing to take care of him, when the latter is drunk. The president is seen constantly smiling and has never externalized negative emotions (anger, violence…). This explicates why the uke was so shocked and confused, when he saw a brutal BJ Alex. The latter had discovered his secret, hence the former felt vulnerable. On the other hand, Nam Dong-Gyun wondered about Ahn Jiwon’s true personality. But the uke was not the only one who had no idea about Ahn Jiwon’s true character. The latter was also confused. 
This signifies that the protagonist was never confronted with his own reflection. 
(Doctor Frost, chapter 11). That’s why he became an empty man in the end. He has no idea about his true self (his likes and dislikes). He was forced to follow his parents’ requests and his brother’s shadow. This emptiness is palpable in chapter 49, when the main lead confesses this: 
(chapter 1)
(chapter 49) Since the adults kept criticizing him, he imagined that if he copied his brother, he would get recognition and acceptance. In other words, he forced himself to become a second version of his brother. 
But even copying his hair dress and tastes, he was doomed to failure, for the parents had already categorized him: he would always be inferior to their eldest son. He realized gradually that this wasn’t right, for his parents still didn’t perceive his true identity. That’s why he feels drowning, when he loses his mask. 
He doesn’t have the impression to exist.
(chapter 49) That’s why he chose a third mask: he tried to be admired at school. He was caring and considerate towards his fellows. However, since he had made this rational decision
, in his mind he was acting. Hence he didn’t truly enjoy this situation. 
(chapter 49) He felt that he was forced to smile. Besides, I believe as he was fake, this admiration was quite superficial in his mind. Therefore he didn’t feel truly loved. That’s why at some point, he wondered if he would ever be loved… 
However, the readers should interpret this question differently: he was asking indirectly, when his true self would be recognized by someone. And the one who made him discover his true sexual orientation was unfortunately a player. That’s why the main lead was so devastated and hurt, when he discovered that his relationship was based on deception and fakeness. So after being sent to the army, Ahn Jiwon chose to act like in the past. He became a role model as a student, yet he could no longer hide his homosexuality. Hence he led a double life. 
(chapter 08) In this scene, the charater is disguising his true thoughts. The black and red are representing his emotions: he is irritated, because he needs to have sex with Nam Dong-Gyun. Note how Ahn Jiwon is avoiding his counterpart’s gaze. The figure is acting, his mask is his face and the presence of the colors symbolizes the repressed and hidden thoughts and emotions. Mingwa colored one picture in chapter 51 marking a turning point in the protagonist’s life.
For the first time, he was acknowledging his feelings and as such his own desires. This picture represents the removal of one mask. He is slowly living for real, but in this chapter he still hadn’t found his true personality. The other mask (his reputation as good student) was still existent. Besides, he still believed that his smiling and caring attitude were just an act, while in truth he was genuine and caring. But due to his past, he had already internalized that this was just an act. And now, you comprehend why the latest episodes from BJ Alex are in color. The main lead had finally found his own identity and place. 
(Painter Of The Night, chapter 54), colors, reputation, etc. The protagonists are often hiding their true thoughts and emotions due to their past, while the villains are using masks to deceive people. 
, pet and doll. This statement was reinforced in the following scenes. First, the rich man asked his former lover to dress with the clothes he had bought for him.
(chapter 28) Here, he didn’t ask for the protagonist’s consent and choice. The brown-haired man was the one who selected the pullover and the pants. Later, he even ordered dishes Jooha was supposed to like, nonetheless he never asked him directly. 
(chapter 28) Furthermore, the readers can detect the symbolism in this scene. 
(chapter 29) The rare fish in the huge aquarium symbolizes Jooha, hence both are in a similar situation. They are not only isolated, but also imprisoned against their own will. Their common fate is particularly perceptible in this image: 
(chapter 29) Remember how the CEO bought the restaurant and the main lead was supposed to repay the debts. So he definitely spent a fortune for Jooha in order to obtain him. On the other hand, the manhwaphiles discover that Pilwon and Jooha were quite close in the past.
(chapter 27) They were friends before becoming lovers. 
For Jooha, Choi Pilwon must have appeared as the Prince Charming, until the latter revealed his true face… The blessing became a curse. But how did their relationship deteriorate so much and so rapidly? 
, he could only see the “mermaid” as a rarity. It was, as if he had found a real treasure. This explicates why he confesses to his purple-haired pet, he is only interested in the special ones. 
(chapter 29) Jooha’s ability to create pearls pushed the villain to claim Jooha as his own.
(chapter 28) However, I don’t believe that the discovery of Jooha’s condition was the only trigger for their alienation. First, the real cause is Choi Pilwon’s personality. Furthermore, the restaurant and Jooha’s mother played a huge role in the deterioration of their relationship. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that the main lead chose to remain by his mother’s side, while all his friends left the town in order to study.
(chapter 27) As you can observe, Jooha and his mother had a very good relationship, and the presence of the promise to move to Seoul could only reinforce the main lead to remain by his mother’s side. From my point of view, Pilwon must have asked the young man to follow him to Seoul and his mansion. There exists another clue for this theory. Kang Dooshik proposed his lover to leave the place
(chapter 26), but the young boy refused explaining what the restaurant meant to him. But after hearing the young man’s story, Kang Dooshik chose to respect his lover’s decision. That’s why I believe that the CEO must have requested from his lover to follow him too. Note that before they became intimate, the rich man kept coming from Seoul in order to meet Jooha. 
(chapter 27) But contrary to Dooshik, Choi Pilwon couldn’t bear the rejection and took it too personally, hence he decided to play a trick. The latter had to take away the restaurant and remove Jooha’s mother from his side. With no one by his side, Jooha would be forced to rely on him and as such follow him to his mansion. Therefore, from my point of view, Choi Pilwon used the father’s debts to corner the main lead and his family.
This explains why the purple-haired man blamed his former lover for the loss of his mother later.
In my opinion, Choi Pilwon didn’t intervene directly, he used the loan shark by tipping him off about the whereabouts of the family. Let’s not forget that he investigated Kang Dooshik’s past and even used his friend Lee Choonbae to separate the couple. But why would Choi Pilwon cause so much pain to his lover and manipulate people in order to achieve his goal? Like I mentioned it above, it is connected to his character.
(chapter 28) 
(chapter 29), in the name of professional conscience, family ties, friendship, love, etc.
(chapter 29)
(chapter 28: Here, he is not clearly expressing his true desire: he would like the protagonist to remain by his side. Instead, he proposes a deal in order to corner Jooha.)
(chapter 28: Here within a few minutes, he transformed into a fury the moment he was criticized and rejected)
(chapter 29), and immediately respond to requests and questions.
(chapter 28: here, he is looking down on both protagonists)
) or via intermediaries (telephone instead of face-to-face: 
and lets him only hear a conversation over the phone 
(chapter 29) Note that he cut the conversation, an indication that he left out an important information)
(chapter 17)
(chapter 28 and 29 reveal how he manipulates truth)
(chapter 29: He hurt the “mermaid”, yet he blamed the victim for this, as he was furious.) 
)
Choi Pilwon succeeded not only to keep Jooha by his side, but also to bring him to his home)
, chapter 3) 
Observe how many men were starring at the brown-haired CEO, though he is not visible in this picture. He is definitely envious of Dooshik, as the latter has been able to get close to Jooha, while he failed to achieve his goal in the past. Besides, he is well aware that the drunkards in chapter 1 envy him for Jooha. This is no coincidence that Choi Pilwon is associated to green, the symbol of envy and jealousy. 
Therefore you comprehend why I came to this diagnosis. Sure, the way he grew up played a huge role in his disorder. The latter is strongly connected to abandonment issues. These patients are in truth hypersensitive and vulnerable, but they mask this by boosting their ego. 
His house is huge, yet he is on his own. 
Loneliness and emptiness explicate why he felt bored
However, even when he realized his betrayal, he still had the restaurant, the place where he shared happy memories with his mother. However, this is no longer possible due to Dooshik. The latter worked there and seems to have abandoned him too. Furthermore, he is now living with his past lover. That’s why I think, the purple-haired man will start hurting himself in the next season,
The young man has no longer any hope… so why should he keep living? The CEO is not recognizing that due to his past behavior, the mermaid will never rely on him ever again. He couldn’t trust him any longer. This explicates why we never saw Choi Pilwon having sex with the main lead. Due to this observation in my first analysis, I was wondering if the antagonist was suffering from a erectile dysfunction. But now, I have found the real signification. He was in reality faithful to Jooha, because he only got fellatios.
But since the main lead had perceived his true personality, he was no longer willing to accept him as his partner. From my point of view, Choi Pilwon forced the main lead to sell his body in the neighborhood for one simple reason. He wanted him to develop resent towards people from that town. His purpose was to isolate him from the community so that at some point he would ask for Choi Pilwon’s comfort and help: a new version of this panel.
(chapter 28) Remember what I wrote above… he saw the restaurant as a hindrance. Hence I come to the following theory. After Jooha had called him for his assistance, the CEO imagined that he had succeeded. The mother was already dead. Hence he proposed a deal. 
, we never see his face again. It gives the impression that we are witnessing his slow vanishing. In addition, the scene in the mansion ends with the picture of the rare fish.
(chapter 27) One might argue that Dooshik is smoking too, hence this interpretation is wrong. However, note that the latter was willing to work in the sea
(chapter 3). He had no problem to wear weird clothes and look for shells. He enjoyed his stay in this town, he only proposed to move away, as he felt that Jooha was hurt due to his bad reputation. In other words, Dooshik was no longer missing the city, but was choosing Jooha’s side. When the latter revealed his decision to remain in the city, the latter understood this. In other words, Dooshik is no longer attached to Seoul and the city. 
and it happened again with Choi Pilwon. Hence I deduce that Dooshik will be reformed in the second season, which means that I am expecting a change for Choi Pilwon as well. The latter will learn that his so-called reality
This is relevant, because it already outlines his mysterious nature. This is not just a question of anonymity. Notice that during the whole introduction, he barely talks so that the readers can’t perceive his thoughts. Moreover, he only speaks on two occasions. First, he calls Ms. Jeon and later he describes the actual situation: he has removed the first target: 
(chapter 1) Therefore this is no coincidence that the reason why the murderer didn’t eliminate the prostitute is obscure. In other words, the main figure is an enigma per se, and the readers are asked to discern his personality, whereas Lee Je-Oh’s character is so easily exposed.
(chapter 1), he uses the cellphone to call his lover, the mastermind of this murder. This explains why his face is only revealed, when he uses the pronoun “I”. 
(chapter 1) That’s the moment he starts existing. He only lives, when he is in contact with Ms. Jeon. Yet through his words, the readers can detect the nature of their relationship. Ms. Jeon is his superior and mentor (he calls her “teacher”/Seonsangnim/ in the Korean version), whereas in the killer’s mind she is his lover. 
(chapter 8) But if you pay attention, you’ll detect the emptiness of this declaration of affection. First, there’s no name attached to the “I love you”. It is so anonymous. Furthermore, the love confession is at the bottom of the letter, totally separated from the content of the letter. The first scene in chapter 1 already illustrated the gap between these two characters, for Do Seong-Rok was speaking to her formally. The absence of the informal speech is a clue that they are not intimate and close in truth. And now, if you combine this with the “love letter”, you can only come to the conclusion that Ms. Jeon is the one keeping the protagonist at a certain distance. All this truly exposes Jeon Hee-Seong’s true thoughts. She’s using Do Seong-Rok’s naivety and innocence. With a few words and a letter, she could manipulate the protagonist to commit assassinations. What caught my attention is that the main lead was incapable to see through her lies. In chapter 6,
she stated that she was willing to dirty her hands in order to survive, yet the next minute she asked her lover if he would kill for her sake.
(chapter 16) Right from the start, she could notice his inexperience with women and in life as well. She portrayed him as naïve and maladroit. 
(chapter 16) This panel exposes the man’s genuineness and purity, as he revealed his true thoughts so easily. I would say that he was easy to read like an open book. So he was seduced by her intelligence and her beautiful body. From my point of view, she wooed him by taking his side in this incident despite her criticisms. Let’s not forget that his colleagues not only were looking down on him, when he refused to follow them, 
(chapter 16), but they also left him behind. Then, when Jeon Hee-Jeong put the card in his hand, she gave him the impression that he had the freedom to come back to her. He had a place to return, when he had finished his mandatory service. 
(chapter 16) In other words, she didn’t abandon him, though she left him behind too. And this is important in my opinion, for it explains why the main lead chose to seek her company. She was the first person who accepted him with his flaws, but she didn’t truly leave his side. And this leads me to the following conclusion: Do Seong-Rok has abandonment issues. 
(chapter 12) However, the father left a letter behind announcing that he would come back at some point, but it never happened. What caught my attention in this picture is the person reading the letter left by the relative. The house looks well-maintained and the woman is wearing an apron. Yet, she seems so cold and unfriendly due to the absence of a smile and the eyes. In the first version, I thought that he had not been abandoned in an orphanage, but he was confided to a particular person. However, it turned out to be wrong. The reality is that he grew up in an orphanage
(chapter 27), yet the persons working there could never give what he truly wished: a family. 
This signifies that I had perceived the person’s attitude correctly. The personal could never give the affection and warmth he had been longing. On the other hand, From my perspective, Do Seong-Rok grew up in a family from the middle-class. This signifies that he never had to face financial struggles, on the other hand the absence of eyes in the woman exposes her displeasure. So though he received a proper education, he must have felt as a burden as well. This would explain why Do Seong-Rok lived in a bubble for a long time. Abandoned by his biological parent, he didn’t desire to annoy more people, especially the family who took him in. That’s why he felt the need to abide by laws and to be very strict. He didn’t want to stand out. For him, assimilation was a mean to get acceptance. Therefore you understand why Do Seong-Rok is a lamb, for “conformity” was like a safety net. Consequently, Lee Je-Oh and the murderer have both something in common despite the social gap: isolation, lack of warmth and acceptance. On the other hand, the huge difference in their social status explains why Do Seong-Rok is so inexperienced and naïve. He never had to struggle to survive. Thus this explicates why Lee Je-Oh is so street-smart, while the other is so clumsy. By abiding to laws, he didn’t have to use his brain properly. Furthermore, I believe that due to the abandonment he kept his distance with people… out of fear that he might appear as a burden. That’s the reason why he had no girlfriend, until he met the prostitute. Besides, it is also possible that in his childhood he could only meddle with people with a similar background, hence he never had to encounter people with terrible fates. But by entering the army, it changed, as he was forced to interact with people from other social classes and with a different mindset. This explains why Do Seong-Rok entered the red-district for the first time, when he was 22 years old. 
This truly outlines a certain compliance and obedience. On the other hand, once arrived there, he realized the purpose of their visit. Hence he refused to do the same, revealing his integrity. Thus it is no surprise that he values monogamy so much. Since he had his first sexual experience with Jeon Hee-Seong, he could only judge her as his companion and lover. Besides, when they met for the second time, she made him feel special. She was dedicating her free time to him. 
(chapter 16) Therefore it is not astonishing that Lee Je-Oh considers Do Seong-Rok as a dog. The animal symbolizes loyalty, unconditional love and protection. When I read the prostitute’s comment in this panel
(chapter 9), I couldn’t restrain myself connecting it to Hachiko, the dog who continued to wait at the train station for over nine years for its master, though the latter had already died. And now, I would like to combine this thought with my interpretation from the first chapter. The man appeared as a ghost and only started existing, the moment he was talking to the former prostitute. Waiting is often perceived as the contrary to life. Why? While you are waiting, you are not able to make any new experience. And this reinforces my perception: the killer was not truly living while waiting for his lover. 
) and both characters have a similar reaction. They are neither shocked nor scared. They remain calm and indifferent. Yet what is more surprising is that in the two situations, the author let us see the corpse through their eyes. 
This is what Do Seong-Rok is seeing, when he looks at his victim, while the second panel represents the perception from the prostitute, when he discovers the dead goldfish. 
Striking is that Lee Je-Oh can’t help himself making a comment in his head, while watching the floating corpse. 
(chapter 16), while in reality the usurer had some feelings for him. He needed to ensure that Je-Oh would remain by his side. That’s why the young man was constantly brought to the clients and his minions were asked to keep an eye on him. Because of this mistake, she never gave any instruction about the male prostitute. Consequently Do Seong-Rok had no idea how to deal with him. Simultaneously, when he kept an eye on him, he was reminded of Jeon Hee-Seong’s fate. He could only pity the male whore, hence he was reluctant to kill him. 
(chapter 1) That’s the reason why there’s an interrogation point in the picture. This explicates too why he murdered the minions in the prostitute’s absence. However, remember how the protagonist had yelled at Do Seong-Rok, imagining that the person in the car was working for Chief. This meant that the male prostitute had noticed his presence. That’s how the red-haired man noticed that the male prostitute represented a source of threat. Hence he chose to remove him. So he entered his flat and waited for his arrival, but what he didn’t expect is Ma Jong-Seok’s sudden visit. Furthermore, when he approached them, he saw that Lee Je-Oh was smiling and waiting for his entrance.
(chapter 2) In other words, Lee Je-Oh could have decided to call the cops and report an intruder before entering his home, but he never did. In my eyes, all this contributed to confuse the killer. Somehow he realized that the prostitute had been helping him. Therefore he didn’t kill them in the flat. Since they were together, he had to kidnap them together. But as you can see, Do Seong-Rok had a weak spot for the main lead, but he was definitely less important than his lover Jeon Hee Seong. That’s why the main lead is not allowed to touch her belongings. 
According to the belief of the red-haired man, he is removing the persons responsible for Jeon Hee-Seong’s misery. Since police didn’t protect her, while she was abused 
In my eyes, his words must have triggered Do Seong-Rok’s memories concerning his girlfriend. The former prostitute made sure to portray her husband, the chief and the pimp as dark as possible, while she made herself appear as pure and innocent as possible. She was forced to marry Choi Yeong-Gil, yet the naive lamb couldn’t detect her lies. Let’s not forget that during their first meeting, she acted as the prostitute’s superior and chased away her minion. So she was no longer a simple victim, she was reinforcing the system of exploitation. She was already higher in the hierarchy. Secondly, like I explained in the previous essay, she was already possessing a parlor, when he husband got killed. She ensured to trigger negative emotions in the young man so that the latter would feel the need to kill her so-called oppressors. 
(chapter 16) That’s why I believe that Koo Jeong Mo is correct about his assessment of the former prostitute. 
(chapter 16) Through her, the red-haired man discovers real life and as such pain. The manhwaworms should remember that after the expulsion from Eden, Eva and Adam discovered pain and death. And that’s exactly what is happening in the manhwa, though in my opinion Do Seong-Rok is a combination of Adam and Cain. Let’s not forget that Eva’s son killed his brother out of jealousy and resent. But since the snake views the young man as a lamb, this signifies that she has already planned to sacrifice him for her own interests. That’s why she tells officer Ahn that she has no real relationship to the murderer. 
(chapter 11) He is just her tool to achieve her goals: getting revenge but also getting powerful and wealthy. That’s why she didn’t give him a proper instruction how to get rid of the targets. Due to Do Seong-Rok’s lack of experience, Lee Je-Oh could notice the killer’s presence in the end. The latter has never been a schemer and a real strategist. 
(chapter 2) The reason for his mistakes is simple: he was an idealist lulled in an illusion, hypnotized by Ms. Jeon’s words. That’s why he had a nightmare
(chapter 8) Besides, let’s not forget that after the nightmare, the protagonist gave a honest portrait of Do Seong-Rok. He is a sensitive murderer .
(chapter 6). The black-haired man’s role is important, as he forces his ally to question the nature of his relationship with his girlfriend. 
(chapter 10) In chapter 18, he made him realize that he was now cheating on her and as such was no longer faithful. 
The longer Lee Je-Oh remained by his side, the more disillusioned Do Seong-Rok got about Ms. Jeon’s true nature. This is not surprising that at some point the assassin is no longer blindly trusting his goddess. 
In other words, the murderer taught his ally to respect him too. Despite their quarrel, their trust didn’t get ruined. From my point, Lee Je-Oh will become faithful despite his past and job. Why? It is because of these words: 
(chapter 8) and she is not even imagining that he has found an ally and is disobeying her words. She is so confident about her seductive skills and her beauty. This explains why Do Seong-Rok’s sexuality is gradually changing, though he tried to deny pleasure in the beginning. On the other side, since the prostitute has associated sex with power and violence, this is no coincidence that the killer feels aroused while strangling Ma Jong-Seok.
Slowly, he is under the influence of Lee Je-Oh. 
(chapter For the snake, Do Seong-Rok was a lamb and her cannon. As for the dog
This shows their affinities in the end. They have something in common: both were abandoned and had no real home. Hence they lived somehow in seclusion. While the one became an outlaw (prostitution as a minor, stole a toy, stabbed Ma Jong-Seok), the other was living as a perfect citizen, following laws so that he wouldn’t get noticed and rejected. Finally, both have a conscience in the sense that they have a certain sense of justice. Both were and are seeking for a companion, both desire to feel needed and important. That’s why Do Seong-Rok got convinced to commit crimes. He thought, he could remain by her side.. he wanted to be her pillar, just like he asked her to be her savior. But she abandoned him too, when she told him this: 
(chapter 12), and the main lead could already sense it. In fact, she had planned a long time ago to betray him, the moment he had become useless. Remember that to her, people are like pieces of Janggi. In her eyes, Do Seong-Rok had always been the sacrificial lamb. 
or he confesses that he is aroused. 
(chapter 18) Thus I come to the conclusion that the killer was living in a similar situation than Je-Oh’s in his past: he was invisible to people and didn’t truly feel alive. 
in chapter 1 and the other was called a lamb by his future lover Jeon Hee-Seong
(chapter 1). In this panel, the young man has the impression that he bought an aquarium, because he found the fish pretty, but notice that although they keep dying (this is the third one), he is still determined to keep a fish by his side. This is important for two reasons. It shows his loneliness and as such his need for company. Let’s not forget that Je-Oh has to reimburse the debt left by his father, so this signifies that his budget is limited. Yet each time a goldfish died, he still bought a new one revealing that he considered it at some point as a necessity to have a goldfish by his side. He is well aware that he doesn’t take care of it very well, he can’t help himself buying a new one. This incident exposes too that Je-Oh has no idea how to treat a companion properly, for he has been alone for a long time. As a conclusion, right from the start, the reader can sense the escort’s solitude and selfishness. He feels the need to detect the presence of someone by his side, yet he is not willing to invest too much time and emotions in it. A fish is the perfect solution, for the aquarium serves as boundary and a fish can’t be touched like a cat or a dog.
(chapter 16) Thanks to the image, we can detect that Je-Oh is missing his mother. This is perceptible, for the main lead still has a framed picture of his mother. Since he is smiling, this indicates that he was happy, as long as his mother was around him. However, the moment he was left alone with his father, the latter only viewed him as trash and burden. This explicates why he removed the father’s portrait from the picture. He really hated his father. He had many reasons for his disdain. 
Instead, he displayed no understanding and just made the son guilty. Besides, the relative kept insulting him, calling him filthy and dirty. 
(chapter 9) This incident at the convenience store explains why the young boy resented so much his father. 
(chapter 9) Note that the young boy was smiling after the theft, he didn’t see it as a real wrongdoing… let’s not forget that the father bought things from the supermarket and always put it on tab, but never paid back the debt immediately. 
(chapter 9) The young boy could only learn that it is no big crime, if he doesn’t pay the figurine. The irony is that during that incident, the father couldn’t put the bug spray on tab, as the shop owner refused to due to the huge amount of unpaid bills. This incident reveals that the father was already deeply indebted. Simultaneously, due to the harsh scolding and insult, the main character learned that he needed to act behind his father’s back in order to achieve his goal. He knew that his father would never do anything for him, since he represented a source of annoyance. For the father, Je-Oh was a burden. 
(chapter 1) When the main character discovered his father’s suicide, he only showed calmness and indifference. 
(chapter 1) The suicide was the peak of the father’s abandonment and neglect. That’s the reason why the student wasn’t shocked or upset and kept smoking in front of his father’s corpse. And now, you understand why the young boy hated his father. 
Yet, these words reveal that the relative didn’t feel responsible for his education at all. With his statement, he was putting the whole blame on his own son, while in reality the man was refusing to educate the boy properly. In other words, Lee Je-Oh should be considered as a orphan who had no good role model in his youth. The manhwaphiles can grasp why he stole the toy or why he started smoking, though he was still a minor. There was no one around him who showed concern and care for him. 
(chapter 17) He was willing to be responsible for his father’s mistake, though he despised him. The reality is that he was forced by Ma Jong-Seok to sell his body. Because of this terrible experience and the indifference of people, the teenager learned that he would never receive any help. He was on his own, that’s why he tried to rebel and escape on his own from the claws of the pimp Koo Jeong Mo and the moneylender Ma many times. 
Then this observation made me realize why the protagonist’s life was similar to the goldfish’s. 
, the main lead was living in a flat on his own. He would get picked up by Lee Soon Cheol or Choi Yeong-Gil or even Ma Jong-Seok and brought to his clients 3 times a day. This clearly displays that the young man had a different clientele. In my opinion, he was more working for people with money. And this explains why Jeon Hee-Seong didn’t know Lee Je-Oh’s true place in the end. In her eyes, he had the same position, as he was selling his body for money. She was surprised to hear that the loan shark would pick up himself a prostitute and wondered this situation. 
(chapter 1), and since they are married, I believe that they hide their homosexuality. Furthermore, if you consider that he only had maximum three clients a day, this meant that the young man was a special escort. That’s why I believe, the main lead was sent to serve a different clientele than Jeon Hee-Seong in the end. This would elucidate why her husband asked the main character not to get caught and create a scandal.
(chapter 1) Consequently, I conclude that he was definitely having sex with rich people. And if you take into consideration Chief’s behavior, you’ll notice the parallels between the “bunch of horny men” who felt guilty by having sex with the young man: Ma Jong-Seok only confessed he had some feelings for the main lead the moment he was facing death. He hid his “emotions” behind his behavior. That’s why he raped him 3 years ago and tasted him in the second episode and used a pill to achieve his goal. In my opinion, the Chief was not willing to admit his attraction to Je-Oh and used his position to sleep with him, whenever he wanted. 
He was neither desperate nor afraid of death, but he was not repelled by the scent of the dead fish. Furthermore, he even touched the corpse. And these gestures made me think that the main lead was very fascinated by death 
(chapter 1). And this led me to suspect that Je-Oh could be suffering from necrophilia. In the first chapter, he showed this tendency. Then he witnessed how Seong-Rok was strangling the usurer in episode 18, he got fascinated and aroused as well. 
(chapter 2) Therefore you comprehend why the main lead claimed to his kidnapper that he had been raped. (chapter 3). 
He wasn’t just trying to manipulate the red-haired man to get rid of his abuser, he was also telling the truth. The protagonist didn’t have sex with the usurer willingly. Thus the manhwalovers can understand why the main lead is now reacting sexually, when he sees someone getting strangled or punched. For him, violence can no longer be dissociated from sex. The only difference is that, now he is no longer the victim, hence he can enjoy this. The manhwaphiles could detect this in two occasions. First, in chapter 3 he enjoyed so much how the serial killer was punching the usurer that he got an erection. 
(chapter 3) Then, in episode 17 he felt excited, when the moneylender was begging for his life.
His words expose the connection between pleasure and power again. The violence is present here, as Ma Jong-Seok is getting threatened and humiliated: let’s not forget that he is on the verge of losing his life. As you can observe, the main lead’s sexuality is already linked to violence and corpse. And now, you can comprehend why he is so fascinated by the serial killer Seong-Rok. He embodies everything that he likes: strength, power, violence, but also a certain sense of innocence, sensitivity and justice. 
(chapter 3) This explicates why the prostitute didn’t stop the moneylender from strangling him during their duel. He counted on Seong-Rok’s good heart and pity to protect him in the end.
(chapter 2) 
(chapter 6), until Seong-Rok rejected this idea. 
or survival, for the first time Je-Oh had the impression to have found a purpose in life. There was someone who was strong, but also vulnerable at the same time implying that the latter would have to rely on someone. Besides, Je-Oh felt indebted towards his savior. Thanks to him, he had become released from his prison. 
With these words, you can observe, “help” plays a huge role in Je-Oh’s mentality. That is the reason why he desires to be by Seong-Rok’s side in the end. 
(chapter 12) From my perspective, he was not talking about his own apartment, but about the farm, where he was held captive. He wanted to leave the room, where he had been tied up. The mansion had somehow become his home, for he had the murderer by his side. And this clearly shows that the prostitute was slowly viewing Seong-Rok more and more as a relative and companion. 
, though the red-haired protagonist kept rejecting this role. And now, you comprehend why Je-Oh is eyeing at Seong-Rok. The latter has already shown a weak spot towards the young man. He didn’t let him die by Ma Jong-Seok’s hand (chapter 3), then he showed him a special treatment by letting him sleep in the same room. The latter could take a shower and got clothes. No one had ever paid attention to his needs before. He might say that he dislikes love
, yet in front of Seong-Rok in tears, he feels himself moved.
And this panel is interesting, as it reminds us of the scene at the convenience store. It was, as if Seong-Rok was a toy and the protagonist felt the need to steal him. Let’s not forget that he was already looking for a partner unconsciously before meeting his savior. The evidence was the goldfish. By connecting the scene with the toy and this picture
(chapter 9) All of them were treating him, as if he was inexistent. His clients never paid attention to his feelings, when they confessed their sins. Moreover his masters treated him like trash. And this signification makes the readers realize that the killer’s lover Ms. Jeon will become Je-Oh’s true enemy and rival, for the former will claim Seong-Rok as his own. That’s why in chapter 18, he makes the red-haired protagonist feel guilty. 
(chapter 1), while in reality the former had showed no respect to the deceased himself too.
Ma Jong-Seok claimed to have feelings for the main character (chapter 17)
(chapter 17), yet until now he had mistreated Je-Oh, as if the latter was a pet. Thanks to Seong-Rok, the prostitute could feel free for the first time, though he was a hostage. Imagine the irony of the situation. This is not surprising that the prostitute rejected the usurer’s offer.
The main lead was truly aware of Ma Jong-Seok’s hypocrisy. He knew that this was an empty promise, visible through the points of suspension and the question. The main lead was not naive: the loan shark would always prioritize money over Je-Oh, once he had escaped from the jail. Let’s not forget that the usurer was living a good life according to the main lead’s words. 
Due to his sharp senses, the main lead knew that someone was in his house, but he remained silent, as he was hoping that the murderer would help him by eliminating the loan shark. This truly shows that Je-Oh is an opportunist, he can see which situation benefits him more. Simultaneously, it also shows that the protagonist is a gambler, willing to risk his life, though he had a reason to envisage that the killer was not targeting him. Do Seong-Rok had never approached him before, while Lee Soon Cheol was already dead, yet the murderer had been observing him for a while and Je-Oh was aware of that. 
and imagined burning the world
, I started associating Fire and fish, hence this came to my mind: Firefish 
(chapter 17) 
(chapter 17) As you can observe, the positions between the main lead Je-Oh and Ma Jong-Seok had been switched. The latter, the blond-haired man, was the protagonist’s owner due to the debt left by Je-Oh’s father. The latter had preferred killing himself than reimbursing the credit with a huge interest. The vengeance becomes more visible, when the readers discover that the chief has been brought to the location, where Je-Oh’s father committed suicide. 
(chapter 17) This means, in chapter 17 Ma Jong-Seok is going through the same experience than the main lead. 
If he commits a crime, then he will lose his “humanity”. This is no coincidence that the chief talks about righteousness and as such humanity. Let’s not forget that the latter is a synonym for benevolence and kindness. Facing death, the hypocrite starts treating Je-Oh as a human and no longer as his pet. This doesn’t escape the main lead’s attention who points out his hypocrisy. 
He has behaved like a man without any conscience and heart until now. And this explains why at some point Ma Jong-Seok confesses to like Je-Oh. The moment the loan shark views him as a human being and no longer as whore, he can admit to have some feelings for him. 
(chapter 3) 
(chapter 5) He kept treating him as his tool. The main lead had to listen to his order and show loyalty and obedience. Sure, he was definitely stressed and desired to survive, well aware that Do Seong-Rok could kill him at any moment. But he acted like that even before the abduction and sequestration. 
(chapter 2)
He criticizes Ma Jong-Seok for being responsible for the death of so many people. With his ruthless job, he sentenced people to their death. In other words, the violent moneylender is a murderer, though he never pulled the trigger himself. 
(chapter 17) And his words truly exposes that Je-Oh is not just killing the loan shark for a personal vendetta, in truth he is resenting him and society for its injustice and corruption. No one felt pity for these persons committing suicide, though they had been cornered by moneylenders. The chapter 17 gives us a clue that Je-Oh is thinking more than just about himself and pure revenge. Moreover, he mentioned to his partner that he hoped with their alliance to obtain his freedom. 
(chapter 1) 
(chapter 2), while Je-Oh used the same expression for Do Seong-Rok.
(chapter 10), while he associated his minions to chickens. 
(chapter 2) 
(chapter 11)
(chapter 13) and the elephant. 
(chapter 13). The loan shark is supposed to be the elephant in the game, while the horse is Choi Yeong -Gil. 
(chapter 13) Imagine, this city is not inhabited by humans, but by animals: chickens, a goldfish, a pig, a fox, an elephant, a horse, a dog, a mutt, a rat etc. 
(chapter 2) Here, Hongok-Dong is presented as a paradise, while in reality there’s only poverty and misery. This poster reminded me of the last commandment in the farm. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This served as propaganda in order to legitimate Napoleon’s dictatorship. In other words, the banner from that Korean city made me think of propaganda. By showing such pictures, the inhabitants are lulled into in the illusion that everything is alright, whereas in reality there exists only selfishness and indifference due to corruption and injustice. Secondly, the pictures about the red-light district 
(chapter 16) make me think of a farm, and more precisely of chicken batteries: 
(chapter 2) This situation is quite similar to the life of the pigs at the farm. 
, as Janggi. That’s why I believe that the city is like the animal farm, as Janggi is limiting the world. The animals are represented by a piece of chess. The only difference is that we also have wild animals, unlike the English novel. The killer is a player of Janggi, he is the one who uses the different pieces (chariot
, cannon, pawn etc). This Korean chess game was introduced to the serial killer Do Seong-Rok by his lover Ms. Jeon Hee-Seong. She manipulated her partner by letting him think that she was a poor prostitute, abused by her husband. 
(chapter 11), when the naive lover killed her husband. But why did she ask Seong-Rok to eliminate so many people (Ma Jong-Seok; Choi Yeong-Gil, Koo Jeong Mo and Lee Seon-Chol)? 
(chapter 11). The femme fatale purchased land in Hongok-Dong so that she will get rich, when the redevelopment starts. 
(chapter 9) But in order to achieve her goal, she has to erase her past as a prostitute. She needs to eliminate people who know her from her origins. And this leads me to the following observation: since this world is described as a game of war
(chapter 3) He was applying this theory, yet deep down he desired that the main lead would seize this opportunity to get revenge on the usurer. 
(chapter 3) As you can detect, the red-haired man was pushing the hostage to get revenge on his abuser. 
(chapter 3) after hearing how the usurer looked down on the main lead. Since he was just a whore, he had no right to survive. The red-haired man hated so much that Je-Oh was insulted for his “profession”. 
and her relationship to the serial killer. Like I had mentioned it before, Ms. Jeon desires to erase any trace about her origins and plans. So the male prostitute already represents a threat to her plan. On the other hand, the woman has no idea about this, because in her eyes, he is just a pawn. But like the red-haired main lead pointed out, 
(chapter 13), a pawn can be powerful, once used well. Since Je-Oh is accepting to use violence for his freedom, this signifies that he will fight for a change. That’s why I believe that he will create a revolution, shaking up the whole system, where until now only rich and powerful people had rights, while weak ones were left unprotected, for the police were corrupted and congressmen are only working for their own interests. As a conclusion, you can now comprehend why for me The pawn’s revenge is more than just revenge, it’s about “slavery”, inequity and injustice. Humans are neither pieces of Janggi nor animals, no matter what they are: poor or rich, healthy or sick. The problem is that both types of Revolution bring chaos and death too. 
(chapter 12), it could be viewed as a mirror, which reflects human greed. As soon as humans discover such a precious object, their deeply buried desires like ambition and greed are awakened. Then I would like to point out that John Steinbeck’s novel was inspired by a Mexican folktale. Striking is that this story contains many parallels to the Chinese’s entitled The story of the Dragon’s pearl. [For more information: 
(chapter 1) That’s why this manhwa is entitled Pearl Boy. What does it mean for the main lead? In his eyes, his special condition is more a curse than a blessing. Because of his ability, he is not treated like a human, but as an object. He is called either as a vending machine (chapter 22) or as a clam 
(chapter 23). In chapter 22, the poor man is even viewed as a living sex toy, hence he is enchained 
. But why don’t people consider him as a human? In my opinion, it is related to Choi Pilwon’s words and attitude. The latter definitely views him as his pet or a doll.
(chapter 4). Since Jooha is his possession, he states this to the poor pearl boy
(chapter 22). He might enjoy now some privileges, 
. On the other hand, I think, for Choi Pilwon, Jooha represents a blessing and a curse simultaneously. Why? A blessing… because he is well aware that Jooha is definitely special. With such a treasure, people seek his attention and favors. Thanks to his wealth, he was able to obtain Jooha. Striking is that Jooha even trusted him in the past. It is palpable, when the main lead threw himself into his arms after running away.
(chapter 22) However, it becomes clear that the antagonist created such a situation, so that the main lead would rely on him, this explicates why he smiled while getting hugged. 
This smile exposes his manipulation. He wanted the pearl boy to depend on him entirely. By joining Choi Pilwon, the main character lost his freedom, the CEO used the immense debt to tie Jooha to him. What caught my attention is that we never see him having sex with men. He only gets fellatios.
What the “mermaid” considered as sexual perversion could be definitely judged differently. He wished to taste the pearl boy, but he can’t any more, hence he needed others. The pearls are the cause for this toxic relationship. Secondly, when he sees Kang Dooshik close to his pet, he looks at his rival very carefully. He pays attention to his appearances: 
(chapter 9) and dismisses him due to his sweats. Since Kang Dooshik is not wearing any expensive cloth, he doesn’t judge him as a source of threat. However, when he hears that Dooshik has become Jooha’s partner, he is bothered. Hence the main lead is no longer forced to have sex with men whom Choi Pilwon sent him. The CEO is determined to get rid of the former host. Look how he is upset, 
(chapter 14), when he discovers that the protagonist has found the perfect partner. Nonetheless, he can’t forced the pearl boy to follow his order any longer, as Jooha procured him a huge amount of pearls. In other words, thanks to Dooshik, the main character has been able to gain more freedom. That’s why I doubt that watching other men having sex with Jooha was Pilwon’s true desire. Let’s not forget that in the beginning of the story, the CEO is standing in the street
, while the protagonist is selling his body in the back room. This exposes that Choi Pilwon was not even watching this, a sign that he didn’t like it at all. And like Jooha has truly recognized, the debt can not be the real explanation for his harsh attitude towards the protagonist. When the latter offered him new pearls as a compensation, because he had not produced so many, the CEO got furious and put them in Jooha’s mouth. The latter had masturbated in order to get pearls. This truly shows that the pearls and the debt are just an excuse. Consequently, Choi Pilwon is not happy with the pearl boy. First, he thought, he had been blessed. Yet since the young man rejected him
(chapter 4) 
(chapter 14) In the last image, it becomes more obvious, as Kang Dooshik stands in opposition to the CEO. He enters the inn rushing to the purple haired man’s side in order to comfort him. As you can imagine, the protagonist Kang Dooshik brings light and warmth
to Jooha (purple and pink are warm colors), while Choi Pilwon embodies darkness and coldness
(chapter 8). 
When the story starts, the former bar server has already reached the bottom. He lost everything, because his ex-lover Eunwoo stole the money from Dooshik’s employer, Madam Hyung, and the main character was responsible for that money. In other words, the young man is on the run, yet despite his terrible situation, the man is not suicidal or heartbroken. On the one side, he is poor, exactly like Kino and the boy from the folktale. On the other side contrary to the stories, Dooshik had no harmonious relationship before, hence he knows the importance of true values (love, friendship, loyalty etc). In my eyes, he has learned through this terrible experience that love can’t be taken for granted. Another difference is that after meeting Jooha, the main lead’s personality doesn’t change: he remains generous, caring and honorable. 
(chapter 8) Surprising is that it was Jooha who helped Dooshik first. This signifies that for the purple haired man, Dooshik looked more like a curse. The former bar server tried to eat without paying his meal. Then he acted as a “prostitute”, when he proposed his body to reimburse the dish. Hence the pearl boy had the impression that Dooshik was like all the other men he had sex before: ruthless, superficial, selfish and perverted. Then in chapter 4, Jooha even chose to save his life, 
although the hero acted like an idiot. So for the main lead, it looked like Dooshik was a source of trouble. Yet, it turned out to be the opposite. Right after rescuing the confident and smiling man, the latter returned the favor. He rescued him from the sexually harassing men. 
(chapter 8) He even taught him how to protect himself. That’s why I believe that we have two pearl boys in this manhwa. Jooha might have this special ability, yet the former host is also a pearl due to his big heart. And observe that Jooha dived to get the “pearl” which reminds me of Kino. 
(chapter 3) and then in chapter 12. 
These incidents announced a change in the protagonist’s life. Although the main lead gets happy with this discovery each time, as he envisions that he could repay his former employee, Dooshik never loses his humanity. He still prioritizes love and humans over greed and selfishness. That’s why when he discovers Jooha’s ability, he asks him if he is ill. 
This truly exposes that Dooshik is the first one treating Jooha as a human. At no moment, he tries to take advantage of the purple-haired man. 
(chapter 14) Therefore it is not surprising that the ex-host often encourages his lover to express himself. Another important detail is that he is the only one kissing Jooha before going any further. 
In other words, he is showering him with love and warmth. He keeps hugging him in order to comfort him. 
(chapter 14) 
(chapter 24) Hence the manhwaphiles are not astonished that at the end, Jooha doesn’t desire to be separated from Kang Dooshik. 
He can’t even bear the thought of his lover’s departure from the hotel room. He fears that his partner might never return. He has already realized that he found a treasure, a pearl boy, while in the beginning he judged him as a source of trouble. As for Kang Dooshik, it is the same. While in his past, he was admired and could earn money and trust so easily, he was so unhappy in his relationship with Eunwoo
(chapter 14). The latter betrayed him on multiple occasions, yet the weirdest is that after this terrible relationship, Kang Dooshik is not scared of love. Thanks to Jooha, his life became more stable, and indirectly he could get in touch with his best friend Lee Choonbae. 
Thus I conclude that Dooshik’s best friend, Lee Choonbae, will play an important role in the future, as his intervention will affect Choi Pilwon’s relationship with Jooha. He could become Choi Pilwon’s blessing disguised as a curse.
(chapter 34), only spiritual love was allowed 
(chapter 19)
(chapter 68). This signified that in his education, not only sex was prohibited, but also sexual desires were denied. Although love was expressed through hugs 
(chapter 66)
(chapter 68) and caresses 
(chapter 10) 
(chapter 68), they were devoid of sexuality. The painter experienced love, but was not allowed to experience sexuality. He was only authorized to paint it for the scholar’s sake. On the other side, Yoon Seungho was raised the opposite: love was not allowed, as it was a sign of submission and weakness. Sex was permitted, because it was considered as a fight in order to defeat his opponent. These were the butler’s doctrines. That way, he could still have a connection to the main lead. If he came to love someone (the pedophile), the lord could definitely abandon the valet and reveal his betrayals. In other words, he used pity as a way to tame the lord. At the same time, sex also served to gain some benefit, as it was an exchange of favors (giving versus receiving), 
(Chapter 71). I connect this philosophy to the king and indirectly to the butler. With sex, the nobles could exchange some favors. These huge divergences in the mindset explicate why there were so many misunderstandings between Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum, as their education diverged so much. 
(chapt45), as the painter had accepted him as his sexual partner, he had to realize slowly that he was wrong. He imagined that since the artist had remained by his side and was accepting to have sex with him, he had achieved what he wanted: in his unconscious it was to be loved. Yet, it was just an illusion. The painter saw himself as a whore and the master as a man consumed by lust. As you can see, the noble was forced to judge the nature of the sexual encounters differently. He had associated sex to love due to their Wedding night, therefore he imagined that the moment the painter was accepting him, the problem was solved. He would be able to relive this wonderful moment, but however nothing like that happened. He felt never satisfied, as there were no feelings at all. Hence he even had sex during the day
, believing that the artist’s lack of experience was the problem. 
(Chapter 45) While the lord became Baek Na-Kyum’s sexual emancipator, the painter became the lord’s teacher for love. This explicates why the low-born forced the lord to question his own identity and feelings. 
than a master- servant relationship, because the commoner was never treated like a domestic. He only had sex with the lord and had some privileges. 
(chapter 46) He was never asked to do other work, although the artist tried to change his situation. Since he was behaving like a whore, he felt that he had no right to express any thought and emotion. He couldn’t show any pleasure. That’s why there were no feelings in their sex encounters, and the lord could sense the difference. Consequently, when the lord realized that he was still perceived as a man consumed by sex
(chapter 48), he changed his behavior. He acted like a real client at the brothel
(chapter 48), but at the same time he cornered the painter to have multiple climaxes in order to let him experience that he liked having sex with him.
(chapter 49) As you can observe, the lord linked sensuality to love. If he could provoke ejaculations, then it meant that the artist was definitely feeling something for him. However, the moment the lord liberated the painter from his pejorative perception about himself (he is a prostitute), the painter reacted the exact opposite. Now, he was the one using Yoon Seungho, the latter was his plaything. 
(Chapter 49), his prostitute, for he was the one procuring pleasure to Yoon Seungho. As you can see, the roles had been switched. This means that now the painter had the upper-hand in their relationship. We could even say that the noble was willing to accept his fate. 
(Chapter 49) Yet there was a difference from the past. Yoon Seungho would feel pleasure as well. This is not surprising that Kim chose to intervene and separate the couple right after. Without sex, the painter had no power over the master. That’s the reason why the butler revealed his knowledge the morning after. The protagonist had to hear from his butler the real cause for Baek Na-Kyum’s passivity and torpor: 
(chapter 50). Through this revelation, the lord was indirectly confronted by his own reflection: he was indeed asking from Baek Na-Kyum sexual favors in exchange for his stay at the mansion. That’s the reason why the lord had a “relapse“ and kept his distance from the painter. 
(chapter 52). This was important, because for the noble, it meant that he could no longer have sex with other partners. Without sex, the lord was forced to question himself and ponder on the true nature of his relationship with Baek Na-Kyum. He felt jealousy during that night, he was very protective as well. 
(Chapter 52) His sexuality had already become an expression of his love, although the main lead was still unaware of his own feelings. That’s why I come to the conclusion, chapter 52 was actually revealing Yoon Seungho’s monogamy, although it looked the opposite. And this becomes truly visible, when the gangrape was about to occur. He felt no urge, when he was with the guests, yet the moment he brought the artist to the bedchamber, he couldn’t stop himself from kissing his loved one. 
(chapter 54) He was definitely longing for his warmth. This explicates why the noble got so infuriated, when he was confronted with the consequence of his bad decision: 
(chapter 54) the artist was on the verge to be no longer monogamous, as he would be tasted by other aristocrats. In this scene, the lord would have indeed become a client and pimp, if he hadn’t chased away his guests. Although the painter was indeed upset afterwards about this incident
(chapter 55), deep down he sensed that his master had protected him. This night was important for the main lead: he was forced to admit his own feelings for the painter. Therefore, we could say that the issue with the prostitution was solved after chapter 54. Yoon Seungho thought that the moment he confessed, the painter would get scared and run away, but it didn’t happen. Why? Love among men and especially between a brutal noble and a commoner, was a taboo, like Min had underlined. Secondly, if the lord had indeed feelings for him, he had behaved like a beast during that night. He had mistreated Baek Na-Kyum. In his mind, the artist would never accept him.Besides, the painter had clearly denied the affection from the main lead. In his eyes, the painter’s words were indicating a rejection. 
(chapter 54) Thus I conclude that Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum had come to an implicit agreement: they had a master-servant relationship
(chapter 56), although Baek Na-Kyum started perceiving himself as a domestic from chapter 51 on again. He kept following the head-maid 
and Kim 
(chapter 51) in order to help them. Therefore the readers could witness the return of the white headband in chapter 52: his task was to paint for his master.
(Chapter 52) 
(chapter 62) here, he whispered to Baek Na-Kyum that he adored him), he would bind the artist to himself. 
(chapter 63), exactly like he had wished in chapter 49. The only difference is that this time, the painter was here for the lord’s pleasure. The roles had been switched again. As the manhwaphiles can perceive, the noble and painter had a similar reaction: they both tried to deny the existence of love in their relationship. That’s the reason why the noble stopped the artist from confessing: 
(chapter 63) They just had a sexual relationship which could provoke pleasure, but that was it. But in order to ensure that the artist wouldn’t run away again, he used sex to “tame“ Baek Na-Kyum. If the main lead could procure multiple climaxes to the artist, then the latter was forced to admit that only Yoon Seungho could be his “partner“. This explicates why the noble kept pointing out how the artist would react to his lover’s body. 
(Chapter 63) 
(chapter 64) He was moaning and would ejaculate constantly thanks to the main lead. Yet, during this second marathon, the noble was actually deceiving himself. 
(Chapter 62) 
(Chapter 65) This shows that the painter had gained a new position: he was indeed a favored servant. He was allowed to spend the night in his lover’s bed and he could see the lord getting dressed. 
(Chapter 65) The slight change was that now the main lead was aware of this. This truly exposes the lord’s affection for the artist. He might have treated him like a plaything in the shed, in reality he had attempted to show “his skills“ as a lover. He had licked him, bit him and the painter had felt pleasure, though he kept saying no! This is not surprising that Yoon Seungho had denied the kiss in the study. 
(Chapter 64) Because that’s how he had been deceived that night in the study. 
(Chapter 49) Baek Na-Kyum had silenced him with the kiss, as the main lead was about to protest. 
(chapter 65) What caught my attention is that the painter’s disappearance mirrored the lord’s wrongdoing. Lee Jihwa and the main lead had both kidnapped the artist. That’s why I believe that when he heard Heena’s words in the study
(chapter 68), the noble could only come to the following conclusion: he could only let the painter choose his destiny. But the moment the artist decided to remain by his side, he needed to change Baek Na-Kyum’s position in the mansion. He was no longer a servant, but a noble guest. Hence the lord tied the scarf like aristocrats did. 
(chapter 69) Consequently, we could say that the painter had a similar status than Jung In-Hun. Yet, there was a huge difference: the owner of the mansion was now acting like the painter’s servant. Hence Deok-Jae’s words came true: 
(chapter 46). 
(chapter 71). Why? It is because the lord made the decision that the painter chose him, then this means that he became his wife, though at the end of season 2, he was not thinking about marriage yet. He was not aware of this perception. By becoming his official partner, the spouse obtains the status of his husband: nobility. This explicates why the lord ate with his lover 
(chapter 74) and allowed him to smoke. Then in season 3, he gave him ladies-in-waiting in order to give him some company. 
(Chapter 78) He even gave him the music box, which was mistaken as a dowry. However, the problem is that the painter was still fighting his own feelings for the protagonist due to Heena noona’s words and past experience with the scholar. He feared that this new situation was too beautiful to be true, hence he thought that the lord’s feelings would fade away. But there was another reason for doubting the lord’s affection: there was no sex. 
(chapter 74) The painter had come to associate sex with love too. Yet, the moment he relived his trauma, he only found comfort and safety in the lord’s embrace. 
(Chapter 76) The main lead didn’t reject the painter’s urge for a hug in front of commoners. At no moment, Yoon Seungho felt embarrassment. He treated him like a special treasure. That’s how the painter came to realize that Yoon Seungho‘s love for him was true and genuine. Consequently, he decided to rely on him and to trust him. That’s why in this panel, the painter closed his eyes: 
(chapter 76) We could say that he was reminded of his own past. When he was a child, he sensed love through hugs and caresses. Since the painter could feel the lord’s genuine affection and warmth, he recognized that even when there was no sex, love was present. All his senses made him perceive the lord’s love: 
(chapter 76) His words showed his care and concern, then he bought him an expensive music box. 
(Chapter 76) 
(Chapter 80) And now, you comprehend why the painter didn‘t confess during that night. He got interrupted. The kiss was the symbol for their love. Thus it is no coincidence that just after his confession,. 
(Chapter 94) the painter initiated a long and sensual kiss with his “husband“. 
(Chapter 95) Since the painter had received caresses and embraces in his childhood, he came to view the kiss as the symbol for true love. And note that the kisses exchanged in the gibang were full of passion and love. This was the perfect combination of love and sex. 
(Chapter 95) 
(Chapter 96) This shows that Yoon Seungho has always longed for a pure and spiritual love in the first place. His sexual preferences were already palpable in the last love session (season 2): 
(chapter 72) We could say that he discovered all his sexual preferences thanks to the painter. 
(Chapter 80) But he failed due to the intervention of the butler and other schemers. Besides, the whispering of „Kyumah“ could only make his heart race. Let’s not forget that his painting in the sand 
(chapter 1) externalized his own philosophy: love and sex can’t be separated. Note that the couple is is hugging and kissing at the same time! 😍 This picture will represent the peak of their love! Striking is that when the couple confirmed their mutual affection, they did in the kisaeng house, the symbol for prostitution. This truly exposed that Yoon Seungho had been treated like a male night servant in the past. .
(chapter 72) in the next season, for the painter is still calling his lover “lord Seungho“ 
(chapter 99) 
(chapter 102) This means that he is still viewing himself as a low-born. But note that contrary to the past, Baek Na-Kum is now wearing a hanbok and he has no other clothes. Thus I am deducing that the painter’s next lesson is to drop his notion that he is a commoner. He will be taught to view himself as an equal to Yoon Seungho. Only when he has internalized that there is no gap between him and his lover, then he will be able to address him as “Seungho-YA!“ At the same time, both protagonists will come to realize that they can express their love differently. Poetry, painting and more importantly through their desire to protect their loved one. The lord will start protecting Baek Na-Kyum more actively, just like the painter will decide to show more interests in his lover’s skills and past life. Baek Na-Kyum will feel responsible for the bloodshed in the shaman’s house. In my opinion, the lord will confide to him what happened to Min and the other nobles. I am assuming this, for the lord remained silent, when the messenger of his father came to the mansion. He didn’t want to scare his lover because of his brutal outburst. 
(chapter 84)
The trigger for the change is the noble’s words. The latter keeps talking to the painter asking for an reply. Hence in my eyes, there are glimpses of love the moment Baek Na-Kyum said this: 
It sounded like a confession, hence the seme became more passionate: 
Here the lord acted like a client. Yet, notice that the lord is speaking again forcing to express himself. And the moment the painter cried and started voicing his own opinion, the sexual encounter was affected. 
(chapter 49) An expression of love and affection, but the painter rejected it, as he mistrusted his own judgement. He couldn’t help thinking of the learned sir’s fake embrace. Striking is that despite the rejection, the painter kissed and hugged back his lover
(chapter 49), which made the lord believe that he could only get embraced by the painter, if they had sex. 
. Although the second sex marathon starts like a pure sex session, the moment the painter calls Yoon Seungho differently
, the lord’s attitude changes. The painter is turned around and faces his lover
, a sign that they are getting closer. Striking is that again through their conversation, the painter is pressured to think about his own emotions. 
However, due to his own insecurities and fear, the noble still can’t trust the artist’s words, therefore there’s no confession. 
, it is just that both main leads were in denial. 
(Chapter 58) Thus he should become responsible for him. Yoon Seungho was unconsciously trying to push the painter to reciprocate his feelings, an imitation of Lee Jihwa‘s confession. Nevertheless, the painter remained silent, therefore it meant that his love was still denied. That’s why it stands more under the sign of dream and illusion. Consequently, the night in chapter 70, 71, 72 and 73 contrasts so much to the one from chapter 58. This time, it symbolizes the lord’s pure love. As such, the sex is already a real expression of love. That’s why the lord asked to be called intimately: Seungho-Ya 
(chapter 72) On the other hand, this love session was strongly intertwined with the notion of forgiveness and punishment as well. This is important, it reveals that Yoon Seungho had internalized that sex was the expression to redeem himself. He had been tasked in the past that if he desired to obtain “forgiveness“, then he should have sex. And by comparing all these sexual encounters, I came to the following conclusion: the lord’s words definitely contributed to change the nature of the sex session, just like the hug. 
In chapter 66, he had a flashback, hence he couldn’t witness his lord’s attention and care.
But the lord discovered this kind of embrace, when he helped the painter in chapter 53: 
That’s how the noble experienced the embrace as a source of comfort and affection. Therefore you can comprehend, why I wrote above that the painter was teaching the lord how to love properly, but also why the embrace became the symbol for love in the lord‘s eyes. He had never been embraced before by a man. And Lee Jihwa had recognized the true signification of this gesture, when he spied on the couple (chapter 43). That‘s how he knew the friend‘s biggest desire: and was deeply hurt after this discovery 
(Chapter 57) However, this shows that Yoon Seungho is a quick learner, because he knew what to do, when the painter was in pain and destress. At the same time, it explains why he could fake the embrace in chapter 62: 
This hug stands in opposition to the one at the end of season 3: 
(chapter 102) The artist was forgiving his lover! Love represents selflessness, tolerance, forgiveness, warmth, affection and assistance which is transmitted by the embrace. Now, you understand why Yoon Seungho was still not satisfied after the sex session in the study, he was longing for the hug. 
(Chapter 84) In his unconscious, he knew that if the artist hugged him, he would have forgiven him. But he had no idea about it, thus he couldn’t suggest this. So far, he had experienced the embrace from the artist while having sex. Deep down, he had already internalized the embrace to forgiveness. So we could say that the absence of the embrace in this scene was the lord‘s punishment for the fake hug in the shed. And the painter let him discover the true nature of a warm embrace: 
(chapter 88) This is not surprising that this hug was not connected to sex at all. Yet it moved the lord so deeply. As the manhwalovers could sense it, season 3 was focused on love and sensuality. During that season, the couple was able to voice about their sexual desires and their preferences. 
(chapter 91)
(Chapter 86) No one close to him had grabbed his hand in order to show their support. This gesture in the picture embodies abandonment. On the other hand, the painter had been the first one to take his hand and to swear “loyalty“. 
(Chapter 30) The joined hands were repeated in season 3 , the only difference is that this time, Baek Na-Kyum was doing it willingly. 
(Chapter 88) The symbol for support, company and responsibility.
and his request for help are strong indications that Baek Na-Kyum was now accepting his affection. He was now trusting the noble, hence he revealed an important clue about the abduction. 
(chapter 41) Under this perspective, it becomes understandable why the couple neglected these pictures. They were all devoid of affection, it was more about prostitution and battle! And here is now the question? Where are these drawings? 
(Dr. Frost, chapter 8) As you can see, home is strongly connected to identity and personality. In other words, without home a person loses his identity. This is no coincidence that homeless people often have no ID. 
He felt so lonely and lost, for he had no place he could call home. It was, as if he had no identity. When he deserted the mansion, he first thought of the kisaeng house and his noonas 
(chapter 46), until he remembered how he had been sent away by Heena noona. 
(chapter 46) This moment was terrible for the painter, because he had the impression to be abandoned a second time. Note that he is not calling the kisaeng house his home… for him, it was no longer a home, because his heart had been wounded there. Hence the manhwaphiles sense why the painter was using his mind in chapter 75 
(chapter 75) and was restraining himself from falling more for Yoon Seungho. He had come to view the mansion as his home, and if he came to accept Yoon Seungho as his companion, then the latter would become his home, his family. Don’t forget my previous statement: Home is where the heart is. He was afraid of getting hurt a second time. If the lord came to have a change of heart, he could lose his new founded home. 
(chapter 58) And now, you comprehend why he stopped in the middle of the street during his escape. He had recalled how Heena had sent him away. 
(chapter 68) Observe how she blames her brother for not contacting her, while she had strictly forbidden him to come back. At the same time, the readers should question her behavior. How come that she never showed any concern for Baek Na-Kyum for 18 months, until she found out that he was living with Yoon Seungho? Why didn’t she contact him in the first place in order to check out if he was living properly? She gave him instructions, and the main lead listened to her, and now she is reproaching him that he should have disobeyed her. In my eyes, Heena noona acts more like a person with a fickle nature. She shows great care and concern in chapter 65 and 68, but she never searched for her brother’s whereabouts before. So far, the readers can only assume that she had no idea that he had been living as a drunk, and she only discovered his whereabouts by hazard. 
(chapter 64) Yet, this is just an impression because of this scene. Yet, in season 3, Heena confided to Min, and the latter revealed the content of her confession: 
(chapter 99) The idiom “bittersweet affections” indicated that the learned sir had expressed regret and disappointment concerning Baek Na-Kyum. This means that Heena knew that Jung In-Hun’s affection towards the low-born had been changing. As you can see, I come to the conclusion that Heena was already aware of the existence of tension between the painter and his former teacher. 
Heena noona is not even using the word “home”. At no moment, she employs this expression. When she parted from her brother in chapter 46, 
(chapter 68) Hence in her mind, when she asked her brother to leave the kisaeng house, she imagined that she was helping the painter to escape from prison. Since she admires the scholar so much, she saw in him her helping hand. He would assist her brother to become a free man. The readers should notice that the learned sir always left the kisaeng house with the low-born
(chapter 68), when there was a ruckus. So when the kisaeng made the request to the teacher
(chapter 99) She was deserting the kisaeng house, and as such the noonas. And note the parallels between chapter 46 and 97/99. In both cases, the painter couldn’t bid farewell to the other kisaengs. 
(chapter 99) It is because she was using her brother. In the first desertion, her choice was influenced by her unconscious. She had just projected her own thoughts and desires onto the artist’s. In season 3, she had made a conscious choice. In exchange of her brother, she would gain her freedom. Thus she used the expression “us” 
(chapter 97) This time, it was for her own sake. But the price for her freedom was that she had to sell her brother. She could still have a clean conscience by convincing herself that Yoon Seungho had killed her idol. At the same time, she needed to fake her death. 
(chapter 99) [For more explanations read the analysis “Heena’s curtains”] This means that she was betraying the eonnies one more time. And that’s how I had another revelation. In my eyes, after their separation, Heena had come to view her life in the gibang differently. She had been able to perceive the good aspects of her life as a kisaeng. She could live a comfortable life and as such get new hanboks. 
reinforced her bad impression about Yoon Seungho. That’s why Heena noona will never believe that this place can become the artist’s true home. For her, this place can only represent a new prison, for she has a negative perception of nobles. Hence she needs to rescue her brother.
(chapter 69) Besides, I believe that she has another reason. The lord is connected to her own guilt, but she is not admitting her responsibility. In the first version, I had expected that due to his confession, the kisaeng would never trust Baek Na-Kyum’s words later. And this was proven correct. Why? First, Heena noona embodies a certain kind of knowledge: prejudices. Because she has already experienced many things, she has the impression that she knows everything. However, she is not realizing that her world view is based on her own perception. Secondly, her superficial knowledge turns her into a blind and deaf person. What she sees and hears will be interpreted the way she perceives the world. I had even written this back then:
(chapter 97) Contrary to him, she knows, because she saw and heard things, when Yoon Seungho suffered! Yet, her knowledge is totally superficial, like the last panel exposes it. She just jumped to (false) conclusions. That’s how she got herself manipulated. Because of her bias, she became an easy target of deceptions. That’s the reason why she believes herself in rumors. Like the scholar said it himself, 
(chapter 29) there exists a kernel of truth in the grapevine. Moreover, with her caresses and hugs, she used love to stop her brother from speaking his mind. 
(chapter 46) That’s the reason why Baek Na-Kyum could only express himself through painting, as he had become mute. Due to her decisions and actions and the scholar’s, she contributed to turn the artist into a boy full of insecurities, unable to express himself. Consequently, Heena noona was put in front of the same choice in season 3. Note that the return of the painter to the gibang coincides with her departure. This means that due to the couple’s love session, she was reminded of her own past. She was forced to recall why she had associated the gibang to hell in the first place. 
(chapter 96) She was definitely scared in that scene. That’s the reason why at the end, she utilized her brother to leave the gibang. 
(chapter 99) This mirrors that her original dream was to live with her brother and the scholar, but this was just an illusion. She had hoped that once the artist was by Jung In-Hun’s side, the learned sir would come to buy her, and they would live together. She counted on the learned sir’s affection for the painter. But this was never Jung In-Hun’s intentions and he excused his behavior by putting the blame on the protagonist. 
(chapter 52) And finally Yoon Seungho treated him well on different occasions by sharing his breakfast with him or sending him to the doctor or by protecting him from Deok-Jae. Yet I believe that the decisive factor is the momentary separation. Although the painter had lost his position as favored servant, the noble never sent him away. He let him live in the study and kept treating him well. The artist could sense that despite the distance, the noble was not willing to cut ties with him. This explicates why Baek Na-Kyum resisted to the vicious servant, when the latter tried to force him to leave the property. 
(chapter 53) This was his home now, and he wanted to protect what he had finally found. Despite the pain, he didn’t move. He was ready to do anything for his home. This gives us a glimpse of the painter’s future behavior, when his lover is targeted. There’s no doubt that he will fight for him. And now, if you compare the two following panels, you’ll realize the similarities between the two scenes: 
(chapter 76) In both scenes, the painter has a revelation. In chapter 46, he is alone and has no place to go. However, he is strong enough to stand on his feet, while in episode 76, he is paralyzed by fear and becomes so weak. Yet, exactly like in the first image, he feels lonely, but since he can’t escape, this position makes him realize his vulnerability. He needs help and protection. That’s why the moment he realizes the noble’s presence
(chapter 76), he seeks his embrace and warmth. 
(chapter 76) With these words, it truly outlines that the mansion has become Baek Na-Kyum’s real home, a place where he feels comfortable and secure, which represents a continuation of chapter 46. While in chapter 46, he just considered the mansion more like a refuge or shelter, now he connects it to family. It has truly become part of his identity. But the embrace on the street let him discover that Yoon Seungho could become a home too. 
and English version, when the lord replies to his request. 
In the original version, the lord is now admitting that the mansion is also his home now, whereas in the past it was just a prison and he wanted to have a companion by his side. In the English version, there’s only silence. This difference affects a lot the interpretation. By remaining silent, the noble is not acknowledging the mansion as his home, but this doesn’t mean that he has no home. In my opinion, Yoon Seungho perceives the painter as his home, hence he prefers remaining there hugging his lover. The painter gives him the warmth and love the lord has always been longing. That’s why he gives the excuse that they should stay there. It seems that the English version 
(chapter 85) Baek Na-Kyum represented the foundation of his home. Without him by his side, his “home” would crumble. 
hence his head moves closer to Yoon Seungho’s
and at the end he even closes his eyes
(chapter 74) This was a new version of the chapter 51 and 52. And you all know the saying: 
(chapter 78) 
(chapter 102) As long as he is by his side, everything is fine. This new definition of home appeared, when the painter and the lord confessed to each other. 
(chapter 96) It didn’t matter where they were. Thus they could confess in a gibang. They felt safe together. And this is the same in the mountain. Observe that the painter is not asking why they are in the mountain and what the lord intended to do there. In fact, he was more focused on the past than the present. However, for the painter, home is not just a family, he liked to sleep in a warm bed and have a warm meal each day 
(chapter 68), since he had lived like a homeless for a while. Hence both will have to look for a real home, a house. Moreover, the lord will have to provide for the painter, and the latter will feel obligated to assist his lover. This means, in season 4, home should have a new definition. It is not just a family, but also the mansion and the country! Don’t forget that many people died in season 3.
(doctor frost, chapter 9). What caught my attention is that the lord’s bedchamber is literally empty: There are only one big white vase, a red box, candles 
(chapter 55) and a windscreen. 
(chapter 55) The latter shows trees painted in black, there’s barely nature in the end. It mirrors the lord’s symbolic death. The emptiness of his room reflected the lord’s life. He was living like a zombie and avoided emotions, as he had no souvenir at all. Although he reads a lot, you never see them in his room. Why? It is because he separated his spirit from his body. In his bedchamber, he was a captive trapped in the past, hence he had nightmares. Moreover, I think that his bed is the source of his nocturnal panic attacks, as the colors are the same than the king’s. And now, the manhwaphiles can better comprehend why the noble has never considered his mansion a home. In this house, and in this room, he had traumatic experiences (abuse), which were so horrible that he had entirely repressed it. Nonetheless, the moment the painter calls the mansion his home, this has a huge impact on the lord’s life. The latter is now “forced” to consider the mansion as his home too. Hence in the Korean version, we have this panel: 
(chapter 98) This shows that he had conquered the bed. Season 3 exposes the painter’s conquest of the bedchamber. The turning point took place in chapter 87, when the artist went to the study on his own volition. 
(chapter 87) I can’t help myself thinking that in season 4, the painter will bring his possessions to the bedchamber for good contrary to season 3. 
(chapter 79) The music box was brought back to the painter’s studio after the argument. Since the lord bought a music box for Baek Na-Kyum, and the latter treasures this item, it also has a special meaning for the lord too. The music box represents the lord’s heart, but the main lead didn’t grasp the true meaning, until it was too late. So far, the broken music box got neglected after their argument
(chapter 85), yet I am still hoping for its return, for the lord had recognized its true signification to the painter afterwards. 
(chapter 85) But we shouldn’t forget the lord’s Spring poem 
(chapter 92) Little by little, the lord’s study will be filled with treasures belonging to Baek Na-Kyum which are connected to the noble. This is relevant, because thanks to them, the lord can recall the good moments with the artist. Slowly the lord’s bedroom will become more and more a study. With the arrival of souvenirs, the bedchamber will be filled with life again. This will symbolize that the lord is slowly taking over the bedchamber, and filling his room with things he likes. Where is the orchid? So far, all the nobles had plants in their room: 
(chapter 43) 
(chapter 82) Hence I am wondering if Yoon Chang-Hyeon didn’t punish his son by taking away the orchid, when he painted on the servant’s body: 
(chapter 36). 
(chapter 99) This new interpretation leads me to the following observation. In season 4, we will witness a new battle again, and it will be about the ownership of the mansion. Who is the true owner of the propriety? Kim, Yoon Chang-Hyeon, Yoon Seungho or lord Song?
However, an important detail caught my attention. The uke only dated women who would confess to him. He never initiated anything. 
This signifies that the main lead started dating these women, because he felt grateful and touched. That’s why all his ex-girlfriends had nothing in common. In other words, he was never really in love with these women, therefore we could say that he was straight out of convenience. This explicates why he gets more confused, when he starts falling for Yoon Taejun. He goes so far to ask a friend 
how to recognize love. The latter replies with the following description: 
– He would think about the person all the time
, blushing 
, finally he would ramble things 
and make a fool of himself
. I included these pictures from Painter Of the Night for a reason. They expose how the painter is definitely in love with the main lead. And this clearly reveals that Baek Na-Kyum was never in love with the scholar in the end. Hence you comprehend why I am presenting Ji Wonyoung from Unintentional Love Story. It helps to grasp why the painter was in denial for so long. He couldn’t understand his emotions, as he had never felt like this before. Moreover, unlike to our modern protagonist, the artist had no one to confide, not even to his noona. When he saw his lover kissing another man, he was bothered, but he couldn’t admit it entirely.
He wondered about his emotions. When he finally met Heena, it was already too late. 
. Thus he started denying his feelings for Yoon Taejun. First, he reduced it to admiration 
and tried to find excuses for his reaction: 
As you can detect, his mind tried to reason his behavior and emotions. More striking is that the character Ko Hotae is the one who pointed out to him that he was just using too much his mind and he shouldn’t ignore his heart. 
As the manhwaphiles can detect, Ji Wonyoung was struggling to admit his feelings for the potter Yoon Taejun. Nonetheless, this has nothing to do with fear of stigma or loss of reputation, because the moment Wonyoung started dating the main lead, he had no problem to kiss his partner outside.
At no moment, he shows real concern or fear that people might discover his relationship with Yoon Taejun. Sure, he is careful due to the special status Yoon Taejun has as a famous potter. And all these observations led me to the following conclusion: Ji Wonyoung had never fallen in love with anyone before and as such, he had never truly paid attention to his true sexual orientation. He was neither a homosexual nor a straight person per se. He just dated girls, because he felt “attached and obliged” as a gentleman. However, all his partners could sense in the long term that their affection was not truly returned. Striking is that in this story, Ji Wonyoung had a similar attitude than Baek Na-Kyum. The low-born would always use his brain and mind to diminish his emotions.
(chapter 56), even his unconscious was telling him that he longed for the lord’s affection. Both characters were struggling the same way, yet for different reasons. 
and even worse the existence of sexual desires. That’s why he kept hiding behind doors. The artist feared the gaze and judgement from others. This fright was linked to the scholar’s indoctrination: sexuality is dirty, especially copulating men were filthy. 
(chapter 31) and secondly during their sex session, when Yoon Seungho was behaving like a client at a brothel. 
In this panel, his face is literally glowing. Yoon Seungho’s words accompanied with a huge smile have already moved his heart, hence his mind reminds him of this: 
He is not allowed to love Yoon Seungho, his noona forbade it. That’s the reason why Baek Na-Kyum drinks in the tavern 
and blames the noble for his fickle nature. 
from chapter 56. The artist always felt the urge to get hugged. As you can see, the artist longed to be embraced as well. Surprising is that in chapter 66, Baek Na-Kyum got hugged by his noona. 
That’s why I think, she knew that the artist was easily swayed, if someone was quite nice and gentle. Note that she hugs him a second time, after the painter has already confessed to her that he had developed some attachment with the main lead. In other words, he was similar to Ji Wonyoung from Unintentional Love Story, he would feel gratitude and become loyal, as long as the person would be caring and warm towards him. I believe that Heena knew that the painter had such a disposition. That’s why she says this “my poor, tenderhearted boy”. If a person showed some affection through caresses and hugs, he would become obedient, as he would be thankful. Yet, in chapter 68, the kisaeng failed twice with her attempts. She even tried to stop him from replying to her points by putting her hands on his cheeks.
She imagined, the artist would react like in the past, when she sent him away. 
. He had no idea what love is. She tried to convince him in every possible way that his feelings were not real or in the last resort, he should not act on his emotions.
As you can observe, Heena was talking to his mind. We could say that she embodies the mind, hence she was the cause for the inner struggle in chapter 75. For she symbolizes the conscious, she also advocates the social norms. If a man showed his love for another man, then this would be a real scandal. From my point of view, she can’t accept homosexuality for two reasons. First, it is related to the nobles’ hobbies. The latter were the ones who bought the artist’s publications, and Heena hates filthy rich aristocrats. But there’s more to it in my opinion. For her, homosexuality is a synonym for addiction or bad life, because love between two men can’t exist. Why do I think like that? It is connected to the image “man consumed by lust”. Note that till the end, the artist worries about this aspect. If the artist were to admit his love for the noble officially, then he would be perceived as a man consumed by lust. That’s why Heena is against this relationship. She knows that all the other nobles will never admit having sex with other men. They are able to maintain their respectability. Thus the kisaeng says this: 
However, let’s not forget that his relationship with the main lead was always full of pain and violence
, hence when the artist confesses his love in front of his sister, the latter should have already realized that the artist didn’t develop such an affection out of convenience or gratitude. That’s why she presents it as the opposite: 
He gets so scared, when he meets the criminal by chance that his mind is no longer functioning properly. 
and what the lord was willing to do in order to protect and console him: he remained seated on the ground, until the painter had calmed down. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 